Iridescent
by leosbabygirl84
Summary: Obito could not get to the dimension in which Kaguya threw Sasuke, so in a last ditch effort to save his clan he sends someone into his past with the last bit of chakra he has left. Time travel/AU will have lime/lemons later on rated M to be safe
1. Chapter 1 Iridescent

Chapter one: Iridescent

Starts at 680

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto, it's characters, the song titles that inspired me, or anything else other than my own storyline and ideas

"No…" He saw her falling and could not stop his body from jumping into danger without regard to how we he would get her to safety. The Copy Ninja jumped and caught her in his arms as a sea of lava lay beneath them, the only thing that he could think of was using a scroll tied to a kunai to use as a rope. Kakashi had somehow thrown Obito, before catching Sakura, against the shear rock and held him there by the only other kunai that he had left. "Obito please forgive me", Kakashi tried to aim so that he would not hit an artery in his friend's arm or any chakra points, but only had a split second so he said a silent prayer that it would be enough to hold Obito's weight.

Kaguya stood before the shinobi world, or what was left of it after she plunged it into another dimension with ease. To her, this place was corrupted and the chakra, her chakra, needed to return to her being.

The level of power was something that Kakashi had never encountered, how could this being in front of him summon another dimension, he thought. Sasuke stood next to Naruto and said that they needed to seal Kaguya. Kakashi silently agreed and thought that at this point, his students' abilities well foreshadowed his own. There were two battles ahead of the Copy Ninja, the one before him was one that he knew that he could not win with his level of power, the other was the one in which he had to quickly overcome or else he and the young woman in his arms would surely die. Kakashi knew that Naruto and Sasuke could be trusted with their own battle and he could focus on his current situation and quickly try to figure out how to get, Obito, Sakura, and himself to safety from the lava that flowed below.

Suddenly, Kakashi felt Sakura tremble as she held onto him. Her Hitai-ate slipped from her forehead and fell into the lava below, melting instantly. She instinctively wrapped her arms around Kakashi's waist. She looked up at her former sensei and saw an emotion that she had never seen in his eyes. His eyes were wild as he searched his surroundings and finally came to encompass her own, as if she was the last thing that he wanted to see before he died.

She felt his grip around her grow tighter and she could feel the slight tremble of fear that shook his body. Sakura knew that the scroll could not hold onto both. She considered letting go, but his grip would not allow for her to move an inch. His mind raced through what little options he had left. One hand was holding onto the one person that was the only ray of sunshine in the lonely ninja's life and the other to a flimsy scroll that could tear at any time.

The heat was intense and Kakashi felt his grip on Sakura and the scroll slip for an instance. He looked up and saw that the scroll had caught fire and was about to plunge them to their deaths. He thought, _'I never got to tell her how happy she had made me feel, how much her daily visits brought hope back into my life, about how much I had begun to care for this amazing woman before me. Now I will never get that chance…. No! this wasn't the end for her, she still had a whole life ahead of her…'_

A sudden scream shattered his thoughts as they abruptly fell. Kakashi tightened his hold on her ready to push her off himself and prayed that Naruto or Sasuke would notice and catch her.

The next thing he felt was Naruto's chakra holding onto both in a death grip before they fell into the lava below. Naruto smiled towards them and said, "Today is not your day Kakashi-Sensei, we are going to beat this together!" His overwhelming confidence was infectious and Sakura smiled at her blond-haired teammate.

Kakashi looked around in disbelief as he saw that Naruto was also holding onto Sasuke, who had activated a partially completed Susanoo, as he floated in midair. Sasuke then used his own power to gain a foothold to stand in, Naruto's Kagebunshin grabbed Obito, Sakura, and Kakashi but kept a fair distance from themselves. Sakura breathe a sigh of relief as she saw that her entire team was safe. She did notice that Kakashi still had not relinquished his hold on her waist, Kakashi however was not ready to remove himself from her until they were on solid ground.

Kaguya's power had stunned team 7 since they were still unsure how this monstrous being was at a God-like power level to be able to create other dimensions in the blink of an eye.

Naruto's clone began healing Obito. Kakashi looked on as his friend was being healed and thought of how much Naruto reminded him of when he and the Uchiha were in the same team. If Naruto reminded him of the idealistic Obito, then Sakura should have reminded him of Rin, but there was a sheer force of unrestrained inner strength that Sakura possessed that Rin did not. Not that Sakura's physical strength was anything to joke about, her inner strength was due to her compassion and drive to be helpful to her team and to others. He never understood why Rin followed him around in his younger days, when Obito was so clearly infatuated with her. Kakashi continued to think about his past as he unconsciously leaned into Sakura and breathed in her scent to reassure himself that she was still next to him and she was very much alive. He was doomed, the thoughts of self depreciation and regret flooded Kakashi's brain, _'At least Obito had the guts to show Rin his affection, unlike me who could never admit his feelings to anyone.'_

Sakura was also lost in her thoughts, especially the look on her former sensei's face when they were in danger of falling. She thought, _'Why did he look at me like that…He looked like he wanted to say something… Is he really worried about me, or could it be something else?... He did say during our last mission before the war that he would join me during the village festival, He's never said that before, could there….. No…I don't think so.'_ The young kuniochi seemed to lean into the toned chest that held her tightly. She could feel the beating of his eratic heart through his shirt and wondered if it was due to the situation or the position that they were in. Sakura knew that Kakashi was always calm and collected even when they were in the heat of battle or if she was healing his wounds after, his pulse would always be even and steady. He was her constant in the many variables of her life. Right now, she could only feel his increased heart rate and the feel of his masked face breath in as he placed his chin on top of her head which only served to confuse her even more. She would really need to think back on her previous visits with Kakashi to see if there had been any other signs but she would have to wait until they had survived.

Their own thoughts were swiftly discarded when they heard Sasuke yelling "Amaterasu" and several black flames appeared around Kaguya. Naruto formed some more clones as Kakashi thought, _'Here it is, my student's greatest moment in battle….'_ Only to see him use that blasted Sexy Reverse Harem Jutsu. Kakashi had a deadpan expression on his face as he thought, _'Jiraiya, wherever you may be, how did you corrupt my sensei's son this bad.'_ He then looked down and saw Sakura blush as pink as her own hair, _'Maybe it was the heat of the lava, yeah, I will go with that, there is no way that she would find this appealing, did she really just get a nosebleed?! No, I don't have time to think about that'_ he thought, _'Why the hell would he use this jutsu instead of the vast arsenal of fatal and destructive jutsus he possessed?! I hope you're proud Jiraiya!'_

The next thing they all saw was all the naked clones disappear and the real Naruto sucker punch Kaguya clear across the sky. Sasuke and Naruto prepared themselves to seal her but she regained her senses and were suddenly thrust into a cold and icy environment that was no longer the hellish dimension that they were in.

Sakura looked ahead towards Naruto and Sasuke with a worried expression on her face, not knowing if their attack led her to change dimensions. Obito attempted to open his eyes when the cold hit his exposed body but was unable to keep his eyes open for that long, it was just long enough to see Kakashi next to the pink haired girl.

The group of ninja quickly realized that Kaguya really did have a power to change dimensions and she did it with minimal effort. This was not going to be like fighting Madara, this could possibly be the end as they knew it.

Meanwhile, in the front lines, a small black portal appeared next to Naruto and Sasuke and without warning Sasuke was pulled into that portal and was nowhere to be seen. Naruto's clone explained this to Sakura and Kakashi could see the instant worry on her face for the young Uchiha. He could only sigh internally and look at Obito who seemed to stir awake. Naruto's clone explained what was happening and the whole thing with Kaguya and Hagaromo.

As the clone continued to explain things to Sakura, Kakashi knelt next to his old teammate and helped Obito stand. Kakashi could not hide his surprise under his mask as Obito gave him a tired but kind smile, one that he had not seen in a long time. Something inside of Kakashi longed to ask for Obito's forgiveness for not being strong enough to protect him, to protect Rin… and as if wordlessly acknowledging his plea, Obito placed a hand on Kakashi's shoulder and stood to his full height as he said, "I know… and it was my fault as well." Kakashi looked down and closed his eyes for a moment as Obito whispered to him, "I also know how much you beat yourself up over all of it, but I was too weak in my anger and rage to see that and forgive you. There were many times I could have gone back home and… well that's no longer the issue… Kakashi, I was wrong in doing all of this."

The Copy Ninja looked up at the scarred face of his old friend, those scars and the hate that once resided in the eyes of the boy who longed to be Hokage were due to his arrogance as a young boy, but now were filled with a knowing sense that Obito had always been in the shadows of Konoha and had seen the pain and loneliness that Kakashi willingly put himself through. Obito and Kakashi both nodded at each other, wordlessly giving and accepting each other's plea of forgiveness as a spike in chakra surged in front of them.

Obito took a step further and Sakura stepped closer to Kakashi, still weary of the older Uchiha. She looked up into the grey eyes of her former sensei and saw that glint of comfort that she sometimes sought in the early days of the war. This was not missed by the Uchiha and he cleared his throat and said in a somewhat raspy, rough voice, "Should we get going, I believe we might be needed." This broke Sakura's and Kakashi's eye contact and they both nodded and they began to run towards Naruto's chakra signature. The many explosions and breaking ice cliffs were also a dead giveaway to Naruto's location.

As they neared Naruto's location they saw once more an opening in the sky and Kaguya passed on through it. Obito looked up and said that it was a space/time technique. He went on to ask Naruto's clone if he indeed could no longer sense Sasuke and theorized that he was probably sent to another dimension. He was analyzing Kaguya's powers and then stated that it had similar properties to his own kamui technique and it might be possible for him to enter the dimension Kaguya opened if he synched up with her but it would require massive amounts of chakra that he did not possess.

The clone spoke up first and offered his chakra, but Obito said it would not be enough as this was not a dimension of his own doing. A heartbeat later Sakura asked about her hyakugou chakra. Kakashi flinched at the thought of sending Sakura with Obito into an unknown dimension that he might not ever enter himself, and if they failed, they might never get out.

Obito looked on ahead, a plan formulating in his mind and whispered that it might be enough to get Sasuke back. The way that he set his shoulders and said, "I'm Kakashi's friend, a student of the 4th Hokage, and an Uchiha…. Who once had the same dream as you… Please allow me to go on ahead of you and clear a path for the future." reminded Kakashi of someone that had accepted his fate and was willing to put everything on the line for others.

Sakura took a deep breath and looked at Kakashi's old friend and teammate and then at her former sensei. Kakashi saw the resolve in her eyes and knew that she had found her strength to step forward yet he wanted to tell her to stay and to be safe, but that would have been an insult to her will of fire. With a lump in his throat, Kakashi gently closed his eyes and said a quiet prayer to whatever god was listening to protect his blossom. This might be the last time they saw each other and he wanted to convey his feelings that he trusted her not only with his life but with the pride of a comrade in arms, a Konoha Shinobi. She took his worn, calloused hand and gave it a gentle squeeze returning the sentiment of comradery. Obito looked on and thought of how stupid the so called genius of his old team could be in matters of the heart, but still he said nothing and just shook his head.

Sakura and the clone stepped closer to Obito and he told them to hold onto his shoulder while they jumped to the next dimension. Before the next portal opened they suddenly felt the eyes of Kaguya herself upon the small group. A sudden crushing weight came over their bodies but was gone in an instant. It's as if she didn't see them as a threat so she ignored them completely. Kaguya continued to fight with Naruto and his insane amount of Kagebunshin, when she opened the portal Obito took his opportunity to follow her in.

They were aiming for the dimension where they could safely extract Sasuke from wherever he was, but what they were thrown into was nothing but. The flashes of light were intense and images of Kaguya's many dimensions, and what seemed like altered timelines, flashed by quickly. Sakura saw an image of a distant future where Sasuke and herself were holding a baby girl, Obito saw himself kissing Rin on their wedding day in an image that almost broke his heart, they both saw sobering images of the Uchiha massacre in the haunting night that forever changed Konoha. The eerie laugh that encompassed their short trek through this dimension dismantled any type of hold that they had on their own reality.

Kaguya really was manipulating time and space and they now feared that they would never get out of said dimension. Obito looked at Sakura and said to her, "We don't have enough chakra to escape this…. I feel the eternal pull of her power and my Kamui cannot compete with this endless amount of chakra." Sakura began to panic but her flow of chakra into Obito did not waver. The elder Uchiha felt the determination and she stated, "I will not fail, I will save Sasuke."

Obito looked on and saw dimensions ahead that were just filled with despair and war, but he saw one dimension far off that caught his eye because he saw how familiar it was, how much pain he had caused at that time and how he might be able to fix it. In that instance, he said out loud, "How about if you could not only save Sasuke, but the whole Uchiha clan?"

He heard a small gasp escape her lips as she remembered all of the pain that her teammate suffered due to the loss of his family, especially the loss of his brother. She wondered how Konoha would have been if the Uchiha clan had never tried the coup and had to have been wiped out by non-other than their own clan heir. She remembered the files that Tsunade had entrusted to her eyes only, she had begged her to allow her to see the classified files so that she could get a better understanding of the motives of not only Itachi, but the mental state that Sasuke could now be in before the war.

Naruto's clone asked Obito how it could be done and in that instance Sakura's inner mind would have agreed to anything that could possible make that a reality. The Sharingan wielder thought for a second and then measured the amount of chakra that he had and the amount that was being pumped into him by the clone and Sakura. He did quick calculations and then decided to go ahead and use all his remaining life-force and the chakra of the clone to hurl Sakura into the dimension that he saw quickly approaching.

He looked at her face that was contemplating what he had just said about saving the Uchiha clan and then said to her, "Sakura-san, please save myself from my own undoing. My clan deserves another chance. Oh, and keep an eye on Kakashi for me, he really was holding a torch for you for a really long time, he thought I wouldn't notice but nothing escapes these eyes of mine." With a confused look coming from the kunoichi, Obito's chakra surged and he felt the clone deposit all of it's remaining chakra and with a puff of smoke disappeared from their side. Sakura felt the initial pull of her own chakra but then felt a sudden stop in which Obito grabbed her hands and hurled her using all his force towards the dimension that he saw coming and with a series of seals he used his last bit of power to open that dimension for her to fall through. Sakura reached out towards him and tried to grab a hold of him but she saw the calm look on his face as he said, "Sakura-san, please save us."

She felt sucked into another time and place and felt the sudden rush of air as she continued to fall from the night sky. The river below her was coming closer and closer and she prepared her chakra to absorb the landing when she felt something, or precisely someone, fall right on top of her right before they both entered the water. Her instincts as a medic nin, kicked in and she quickly turned around and grabbed the person who had fallen on her and swam to the river's shore to assess the situation.


	2. Chapter 2 Fall Away

She gripped the unconscious body that had fallen onto her and pulled him to shore. It was dark and the sides of the cliff had foreboding shadows that seemed to encompass her mind. The moonlight shone through several places but it was nowhere enough light for her to properly assess her surroundings. _'Where am I?'_ Sakura was still reeling from her ordeal and her mind was trying to process what was happening. She looked at the young man beneath her who was barely breathing. _'No, I have had enough loss to last a lifetime!'_ The green light of her chakra lit the banks of the Naka river.

The welcoming pull of everlasting sleep was becoming too much for the young man to fight against. He thought of his clan, his family, the future that he dreamed of for his beloved village that would never come true, it was all so much to bear. The darkness was closing in and he was not afraid, he had prepared to walk with Death when his time came, every shinobi prepared for this day.

The warmth was escaping his body but he could feel a strange sensation in his chest that was soft and healing. He wasn't sure if it was death's gentle embrace, and even if he wanted to delay his death, his injuries were wearing him down. His conscience was failing him, he was beginning to see fragmented visions of his life flash before his eyes. In a moment of clarity, he wondered why his body had not activated the self-destructing jutsu. He had placed a seal in his body that would prevent his corpse to be used by his enemies, all ANBU's had this so why wasn't it working.

She saw multiple injuries, he was bleeding out and probably had already lost a lot of blood. Sakura reached into her flak jacket and pulled out a small utility knife that Kakashi had gifted her when the war had started. She tore his shirt open to properly asses his torso. She would have never known that the hair across his face hid away the hollowed-out sockets which once housed his most powerful weapon, his blood right, his Sharingan.

She had seen the blood on his face, but she could not worry about that, the most important thing was to stop the bleeding from the stab wounds and keep his heart going. She spread her chakra throughout his entire system and began healing what she could. His body was falling apart, it was shutting down organs and shunting blood to his vital organs to try to keep him alive. Sakura tried to continue to encourage clot formation, to seal severed arteries, close open wounds and to maintain a steady beat in his heart. She looked at his arm and saw that he was ANBU, she knew that if he died, his body would self-destruct so she did the seals that Tsunade taught her to use when treating ANBU to stop the seal from activating. As she worked, she saw his color pale and she knew that he might not make it, his heart was beating as fast as it could but he needed help.

As the shadows closed in and death approached, the fallen shinobi saw the face of his closest friend, and as he saw the once carefree smile that was only reserved for those peaceful moments, he heard Itachi scream at the top of his lungs, "SHISUI!"

There was a brief pause in the young man's heartbeat and Sakura hoped that his heart was not failing. She then heard a gut wrenching scream from the top of the cliff, "SHISUI!"

The young man below her whispered, "Itachi…." She looked down at her patient and took a good look at him, the dark hair, the same type of shirt that Sasuke would wear in his genin days, dark blue, high collared with what she could swear was the Uchiha crest on his back, _'What did he just say, did he really just say Itachi?!'_ She thought, _'Could he be an Uchiha?'_ Sakura ran her fingers across his forehead to push away his hair and expose his eyes. _'Who could have done this to you...?'_ Her heart clenched at the sight in front of her. She knew the importance that the Uchiha placed in their visual prowess. It's as if the person who injured him, wanted his eyes because they had been cleanly severed from his sockets.

She felt his heartbeat stop and her mind focused in a way that only medic nin's could in times like this. Sakura refused to let him go, she had lost too much in the last 24 hours. She looked up at the cliff, took a gamble, and screamed, "Help, Itachi-san!" As a ninja, you never scream your position when you are in a vulnerable situation, but she knew that this was her new mission, to save the Uchiha clan. She quickly began to compress his chest trying to get his blood to circulate.

Itachi was consumed with his grief and at first did not hear his name, he thought that it must have been his imagination, but in the back of his ever-vigilant mind he decided to spread his senses out and feel for any chakra. He knew that Shisui had chosen this secluded area and there was no one in a hundred-foot radius. As his eyes morphed to the Mangekyo, his senses picked up on a foreign chakra signature at the bottom of the river. He felt anger at the thought that his best friends's body would already be desecrated before the self-destruction jutsu took place, so he leaped down and prepared himself for a possible fight.

What he saw next, his eyes could only register as his mind tried to decipher what was going on. Pink hair, a shinobi that had black lines crisscrossing her body and face from what looked like a seal on her forehead. She wore a Konoha jonin flak jacket, but no hitai-ate. This unknown person was crouched down over the body of his best friend, but was covering part of his body with her own. He pulled out a kunai and aimed at her as she looked up from, _'….What was she doing, was she kissing him… No, that was not a kiss,'_ She locked eyes with his own, unafraid of the red spin of his Sharingan as she yelled, "Is that you Itachi-san?! He needs your help!"

That seemed to wake him from his state, and forgoing his own training decided to run towards her. In any other situation, he would have carefully assessed and analyzed everything before making his decision, but… this was family and she said that Shisui needed help. A small glimmer of hope grew in his heart that Shisui, his best friend who he saw as a brother, might still be alive.

Sakura continued with compressions as Itachi approached and even though her mind was screaming at her that any ninja worth his salt would consider a foreigner a danger. She had to talk to him and have him see that she was no foe, but only here to help.

She continued to work on Shisui as Itachi came to her side and said to her, "Is he alive?" She looked up at him, crystal green into black and red. She noticed that he had not deactivated his Mangekyo Sharingan and his eyes would be able to register any trace of deceit or hostile actions. She said, "Barely, he is gravely injured and has lost a lot of blood. Do you know basic first aid?" He only nodded. _'So he was also a man of few words'_ , Sakura thought. "I need you to take over compressions as I stimulate his bone marrow to create more blood and reinforce any clots that have already taken hold so we can stop the bleeding."

"Are you a medic?" She nodded and prepared to switch positions so that Itachi could take over compressions. They switched seamlessly and she began to do some seals that were not missed by the strong gaze of the Sharingan. Sakura's hands began to glow a soft, warm, green and she placed them over Shisui's body. Itachi felt the warmth of the chakra that was flowing into his friend and even though he still felt no pulse he could see minute changes in Shisui's coloring and temperature. He looked at the woman who was wholly concentrated in her work and he debated asking her anything in fear that his best friend would suffer untoward consequences.

Itachi noted the precise control that she wielded her chakra, even though he felt the warmth of it through his hands, none crossed over into him. It's as if she directed it towards only what was needed to be healed, for a medic she was had incredible control. Her medical knowledge must be of such high caliber to be able to focus so that she could manipulate microscopic cells to her whim.

Sakura was nearing her limit on chakra. and she knew it. She could not really explain everything to the man before her, so she continued working without complaint. She had given Obito so much chakra that her seal marks were now beginning to recede. This alarmed the Uchiha and he said, "Medic-san, are you ok?" "Sakura, my name is Sakura, and yes, I am just using a lot of chakra right now."

How could he not have noticed, Shisui's bleeding had stopped and there were wounds that were healed now, the only evidence was the large gashes of blood soaked clothing but smooth intact skin below. He was still weary of this new person but she did not feel hostile or deceitful. He could tell that she had expended a lot of chakra healing Shisui prior to his arrival, so he said, "I may have some chakra restoring pills in my utility pocket on the left."

She was not prepared to have been offered help, especially by the once Akatsuki member. _'Sakura get a hold of yourself, he is not an Akatsuki member in this dimension… He is Sasuke-kun's brother'_ with a slight blush she nodded and smiled at him as she neared him and placed her hand in his pocket. She grabbed the small pillbox and pulled it out. She studied it quickly and after verifying that they were in fact chakra pills, she popped two in her mouth. He saw her cautiousness and accepted her thanks once she swallowed the pills. She hated taking the chakra pills because they were hard on her system, but she had no choice, her chakra would restore quickly but not as fast as she needed in case her patient worsened or they were suddenly ambushed.

Sakura felt her chakra start surging and once the slight headache that accompanies chakra depletion began to recede, she told Itachi that she needed to check for a pulse. She felt none but did feel some disorganized electrical activity going in the heart, and her thoughts began to race as she remembered the proper order of seals to produce a small electric charge to restart a heart, it would be nothing close to a chidori or a lightning attack, but she wanted Itachi to know if he realized what seals she was making so he would not be alarmed. Lightning was not her element but as a medic she knew just enough to produce the charge she needed.

She explained what she was about to do to Itachi and although he had never seen this done in the field, he nodded, his best friend didn't have any other chances. She placed her hands over Shisui's heart and gave a small electrical jolt.

She immediately began compressions again and pumped chakra with each thrust. As she continued, Itachi's mind began thinking of how this woman came across Shisui and how she was undetected until now. Suddenly, he saw her smile as she said that she felt a strong steady pulse.

She stopped compressions and continued to pump chakra into his lungs to better allow his cells to receive oxygen. She looked at Itachi and said, "Itachi-san, what is his name? it's better to coax him back from death by calling his name out." He thought about revealing Shisui's name to her and continued to wonder how she knew his own name, but there would be time for that later. "His name is Uchiha Shisui."

She knew of him from reports that Tsunade had allowed her to see from the Sandaime's files. Shunshin no Shisui, he was legendary and it was said that Shisui's ocular prowess rivaled that of Itachi. She looked down at the young man and gently moved closer to his ear and whispered, "Shisui-san, come back to us… don't lose hope I will care for you, I will not let death meet you tonight."

Sakura gently moved his hair from his face and gently began to heal the wounds to the back of his eyes. She softly shook her head and then asked Itachi, "I know it's not my place to ask, but what happened to his eyes?" Itachi steeled his nerves and masked any emotion in his face as he just continued to stare at her, _'Why would she be so interested in his eyes? Does she mean harm to him? To Konoha?'_ She received no response so she continued, "I could try to restore his sight if I had his eyes." Itachi was torn. His best friend had just bequeathed him with his last eye and then had jumped to his death. Did Shisui want this? He was not sure, but this woman had just brought his friend back to life and still held no killing intent or malice in her being.

Itachi did some seals and his summons deposited a single orb into his hand as he held it out to her. Sakura's eyes widened and she created a sphere of chakra for him to deposit said eye. Itachi gently let the chakra sphere absorb the eye as Sakura said it was to disinfect it and be ready to be placed into the eye once more. She took her time fixing any nerve endings and chakra pathways in the eye sockets. She would have to seal the other eye socket until they could figure out what happened to the other orb but at least the damage would be kept to a minimum. Itachi looked at Sakura and said, "It's his left eye.." remembering how moments ago Shisui had taken his own eye out to prevent it being misused. Sakura nodded and took great care of the young man's orb.

She floated the sphere to the eye and inserted it using her chakra. She connected all pathways for chakra first, secured blood vessels, and then connected nerve endings. She reached into her flack jacket and pulled out some white gauze that she wrapped over his eyes.

Shisui felt warmth envelop his being and a gentle pressure encompass his heart as he took in a deep breath. It did not hurt to breath in. His head was not woozy and he really didn't feel any pain. Was life after death like this? There was darkness and he could feel a strong grip on his right hand and a gentle hand move some hair from his face. It felt so real. "Shisui…" His name came from a soft womanly voice, "take deep slow breaths, you will soon regain some of your strength." He then heard the voice of Itachi, "I believe his wounds are stable enough for us to move him." He did not see the woman agree but could feel his body be carried between the both of them. Where would they take him? "Not Konoha, not safe…" His voice sounded foreign, raspy and devoid of the usual lightheartedness that he always possessed when talking with Itachi. He felt Itachi give him a reassuring squeeze and then they continued their trek towards one of the many ANBU hideouts.

Itachi looked over Shisui's shoulder towards the pink haired medic and said, "How did you know my name?" She looked towards Shisui and said, "He whispered your name and I figured he might have been your teammate, so I took a chance and called out to you." Itachi soberly responded, "You do know that is one of the most dangerous things a shinobi could do." She nodded but continued, "He needed help and I was running low on chakra, if I didn't take the chance, he would have died either way. I could not have defended him and myself in my current state, so I took a gamble and hoped you would be on his side."

Sakura fondly thought of her mentor and her heart had a sinking feeling at the thought of her friends and their situation. She did not notice the controlled assessment of the Sharingan as she continued to walk supporting Shisui's weight. Itachi longed to question this woman but his first priority was Shisui, he was confident that he could take her on and subdue her if need be… Although now that he had time to really think he wondered how she knew to stop the self-destruction seal that was place on ANBU rank shinobi. Was she a spy? He decided to just go ahead and ask and depending on her answer he would reassess his stance on this woman.

"Your affiliation is to which village?" He was watching her carefully and noticing her reactions, she stiffened at first but then saw moisture gather in her eyes as she said, "Itachi-san, I have no reason to lie to you, but I fear that you might not believe me at face value. Once we put Shisui-san down and he is resting I will allow you to continue your questioning or submit to information extraction to prove my allegiance. But if you must know right now…. my home is the Village Hidden in the Leaves…"

She looked down but he did see a tear fall from her face as she looked on ahead. Sakura really did not know what to do and if she was honest with herself, she felt that if she went straight to Konoha with her story, Ibiki-san would have a field day with her in T & I . Her hope might lie with the Yamanaka's, but if she remembered correctly, at this point in time in Konoha's history, the Uchiha were the ones in danger and in need of salvation. Obito's words came back to haunt her, _'Save the Uchiha Clan…'_

Itachi was cautious but needed answers from this medic that was a mystery to him. He decided to make sure that she kept her word and with great caution said, "I will trust you for now, but be sure I will not tolerate deception. I am grateful for what you have done, but I am still unsure of your motives. There are few people in who I can trust… you will be under my care for the foreseeable future. Is that understood?" She nodded and replied, "Yes Itachi-san."

A/N: thank you so much for the favs/reviews/follows. I appreciate the constructive criticism and will continue to try to improve my writing. Disclaimers for the story will be the same as ch 1 so I wont post them with each ch. It was suggested that I write from whom each paragraph is written, but I believe that this distracts from the story, so event though I might not explicitly write who is "speaking" it should be implied with the context clues around.


	3. Chapter 3 Trees

They entered one of the least used ANBU outposts and Itachi sealed the door. He saw her place her glowing hands once more on Shisui and was happy to see the look on the face of his friend, like she had just relieved his pain and he was in a blissful sleep. Never had he seen such a peaceful look on Shisui's face. As shinobi, they had been taught to be ever vigilant since they were genin and had never really succumb to what civilian's call 'deep sleep'.

Once Shisui was sleeping comfortably, Sakura stood up and stretched her tired muscles. She walked around the room and quickly found some supplies. She found canisters with water and even some first aid supplies that she brought next to the sleeping Uchiha. She organized each item and carefully checked that nothing was expired or dirty and went about cleaning the blood out of Shisui's hair and washing his face. Her hands expertly moved and soothed any minor discomforts as she meticulously worked to clean Shisui up. The Uchiha heir observed everything that she did. He even noticed how she explained everything she did to Shisui even though he was asleep.

Although he was grateful for the care and consideration that she showed his best friend, Itachi was still concerned that she knew her way around ANBU outposts. This did not sit well with him, but for the time being he would endure it and continue his observations.

Itachi sat next to Shisui and made a mental list of everything that he had noticed:

One, he knew that she had not been present when Shisui had talked to him just before he jumped, yet somehow, she was there to save Shisui just in time at the bottom of the river.

Two, she somehow knew Konoha's seal pattern to deactivate self-destruction jutsu's. This was only given to high ranking Medic-nin's and ANBU captains.

Three, she had knowledge of the Sharingan. The woman did not fear or look away from his gaze when he first met her. Either she had trained with someone that possessed the Sharingan, or she was downright foolish.

Four, her shinobi uniform resembled Konoha's flak jonin jacket, but she did not have her hitai-ate with village designation. Was she a missing nin? He had memorized the bingo book and could not recall ever seeing her face. He had never seen a pink haired shinobi before… there was only one child with pink hair that he knew of and she was Sasuke's age. Could she be related to the Haruno's?

Five, she knew her way around ANBU outposts and was not at all intimidated by his own ANBU uniform, or the many traps that were cast in the outposts. She had dismantled each one quickly and efficiently. It's like she knew what she was doing and had been trained with someone of that caliber.

He would have continued his mental list but heard her take a sharp breath in as she began to shiver and grow pale. These were signs of chakra exhaustion, but he was unsure as to why she was showing these symptoms if she had taken two chakra pills.

"Sakura-san are you ill?" the Uchiha heir walked closer to her, keeping an eye on Shisui. He did not want her to use an "illness" as a ruse to escape or betray him. Although he did not get those vibes from her he had to be extremely cautious. She shook her head and said, "I have expended my natural reserves and I'm feeling chakra exhaustion set in…" She hesitantly looked deep in his eyes, "Itachi-san, I must rest to recover, but I know that you are not fully trusting of me presently… I could answer some of your questions but I am not sure how long I can stay awake in my condition."

 _'Why were her eyes so honest?'_ He thought. "I could place you in a genjutsu so your body can recuperate and we can converse in the confines of your mind." He took another step forward.

He saw her pull back slightly. Was she ready for this, could he see what her war-torn mind held, or would her inner persona fight him tooth and nail for control of her consciousness. He was at arm's length now and staring straight into her eyes.

She had promised to allow this and yet she felt scared that he wouldn't believe her. Sakura's eyes saw the spinning of the Sharingan and she softly said, "Yes…" Itachi took a step closer and placed one hand behind her neck and the other securely on her waist. He did not have to do this, he could have easily caught her in his jutsu from across the room, but he felt that if he had some sort of physical contact with her, he could render her completely immobile and subdue her if necessary.

Time stood still as Itachi cast his genjutsu and he tightened his hold on her body. The darkness that surrounded him lead towards a bright light as he felt the pull of her inner mind.

Her inner mind fought off the genjustsu at first, but then felt the power of Itachi's mind control. He wanted to see what her subconscious thoughts were, there was little people could hide in their subconscious. He pressed on and began breaking down the walls that her mind had set up around itself. It's not like she was overtly resisting. The human mind was something that created protections from people/trauma/events that could cripple it's very being. He knew this well yet, he didn't want to force himself on her. It was not in his character to treat someone that was not an overt enemy as such, so, he patiently took his time working within her mind to unlock her subconscious.

Once he achieved this, the darkness that had surrounded him transformed into a desolate place that made him pause for a second. _'Was this woman traumatized by war?'_ In her mind, they were in the war-torn landscape of Madara's Infinite Tsukuyomi. Itachi was trying to process what he was seeing. People were entangled in treelike bindings and hung upside down from great vines. This was something that he had never seen before and he was not sure if in the history of the shinobi thus far, anything like this had occurred.

Itachi continued to observe his surroundings. Several yards away the body of one of his ancestors was in heap next to the first Hokage. He had only seen paintings of the great Madara in some Uchiha shrines and this unsettled him greatly. Minato Namikaze was in Sage mode but had lost his arm, yet he was fighting next to an older version of his current Hokage. It was a place full of death and despair. Itachi could only observe as millions of questions formed in his mind. He looked for the tell-tale pink haired shinobi. When his eyes found her she was hunched over a body. She was dirty, clothes bloodied, the previous black markings from her seal covering her body, yet she was frantically pumping chakra into what looked like an adult Kakashi, who laid in a pool of blood beneath her. She was crying and not wanting to let death take him.

Did she know his Senpai? Why… No, How was his Senpai older in this vision. Kakashi was his former ANBU captain and someone that he trusted with his life. None of this made sense to him. He had never seen some of these people before, yet he recognized his little brother's older version and the faces of the previous Hokage's. How could they be here if some of them had been dead many years and some were currently alive in his own time.

 _'Time….'_

 _'Was she from another time period, from perhaps, the future?!'_

He heard a blond shinobi that was apparently covered in glowing flames scream out his brother's name, "Sasuke watch out!" Itachi looked up as he saw a monstrous being overflowing with chakra suck an older version of his brother into thin air. His instincts prepared for a fight but he withheld his urges and merely watched as everything unfolded before him. This wasn't his reality but hers. There was a scarred man with an activated Sharingan yelling at Sakura, "Why are you here, I sent you to save my clan! Leave us be, we are as good as dead to you!" The young medic began to cry once more and yelled back, "I am not trash, I will never leave my friends behind! I cannot let any of you die" _'That sounds like something Kakashi Senpai would say,'_ he thought.

Itachi approached Sakura and laid his hand on her shoulder as he said, "Sakura-san, come to me… Listen only to my voice… walk with me…" Her movements were jerky and stiff but she said in a trance-like voice, "I will follow you…"

Itachi took control of the visions in her mind and had everything vanish into thin air. They were now in the dense forests of Konoha. It's trees mighty and proud. They stood silently looking over the vast forest. She was home and he could tell by the peaceful gaze she now had as she looked on towards the trees of Fire country. There were many truths that he could gather from a person's mind and he would be sure to find out any secrets that might cause harm to his village.

Sakura sat down on a tree limb and was silent for some time. Itachi never minded silence, it was the best time to observe his target and see any nuances, or tells, that they had. As he continued to watch her, he noticed that she hugged herself as if to keep herself together and that's when she noticed her true subconscious mind come out. The young woman before him morphed into a small child. A child that resembled the young Haruno girl in his brother's school.

Although this confused him, he sat down next to this young child and asked her in a soothing voice, "Hey little one, my name is Itachi, may I sit next to you?" The little girl looked up at him and with wide green eyes that still sparkled with innocence nodded. She spoke, "My name is Sakura Haruno, I am five years old and one day I will be a great ninja!" He genuinely smiled at the child's enthusiasm and ruffled her hair as he said, "I'm sure you will, you might even surpass one of the great Sannin one day" He chuckled not knowing that by mentioning the Sannin, Sakura's mind would begin to flood her with memories of Tsunade.

The child stared at Itachi and then waved her hand over the forest floor as images of Tsunade training with an older Sakura, teaching her medical jutsus, of fighting against many enemies, working in the medic tents to save lives, and of helping out in the Hokage's office as a drunk Tsunade slept on the desk. He was awe struck that Sakura not only knew one of the legendary Sannin, but was her student and apprentice.

Itachi then smiled at the young child once more and said, "Thank you for showing me that little one, you have an excellent memory." More images flashed before his eyes, Sakura passing the chunnin exam without resorting to cheating, of her reading countless tomes with medical jutsus and learning new plants to base medicines and poisons.

He looked at the young child and said, "Little one, do you know a boy named Sasuke Uchiha?" He immediately noticed her blush and she said, "He is in my class at school… He never lets me play with the boys but he did tell me that he liked the color of my eyes once." He gently smiled at the child and replied, "He is correct. Your eyes are enchanting." Her smile grew wider as she stared up at him. He smiled back and said, "Could you show me a bit more of Sasuke, he is my brother you know."

The little girl opened her mouth as if to speak, but then her body changed back into that of a young woman. Those green eyes that held so much innocence before now held unshed tears. He took her hands in his, and said to her in the same soothing voice, "Show me Sakura-san, show me your memories of my brother…"

There were flashes of light, rapidly flying throughout the trees that surrounded them. The comfortable silence that had surrounded them was now filled with the cries of the woman before him. He saw the first mission she had together with Sasuke as a genin. They were in a team with Kakashi senpai as their sensei. He saw a vision of the vow that his brother made to kill "a certain someone" when they made their introductions. The lonely walks that his brother made to an empty Uchiha district made him hold his breath in anticipation. He saw the murmurs of parents when they were around his younger brother _, 'His family was all slaughtered.' 'They were all traitors' 'He is the last in his clan'_. Sakura could only cry silent tears as she showed him images of when Sasuke betrayed his village and left her in the park bench.

Itachi held onto the emotions that were swirling in his own mind. Sakura's mind kept showing him images of all that had transpired with his younger brother, of the feelings of pain and betrayal, of unrequited love and acceptance that the young would never return. He then saw once more the images of the war-torn landscape that had initially welcomed him into the woman's mind. The battle that was waged with the same masked shinobi that approached him earlier in his village was now identified as Obito Uchiha. He saw the following battle with his ancestor Madara reincarnated and taking control of Obito and laying waste to the army that was assembled. He was finally shown the fierce power of the being named Kaguya.

This woman had been through hell and he was still not sure how she got here. He looked at the woman who was now gripping his hands as she said, "Itachi-san… please believe me, I did not come here to harm you, I was sent her to help you. I don't want this to happen once more. Everyone suffered so much… Please... there has to be another way.." As she said this, the images that Sakura had seen in Kaguya's dimensions about the Uchiha massacre played before Itachi. He saw himself killing his entire clan, of killing his parents, of warping the young mind of his brother into one consumed with hate.

A single tear escaped his usually stoic face as he gazed into the broken shell of a woman that was before him. She had been strong for others for many years but it was taking a toll on her psyche. In an uncharacteristic move, he leaned forward and kissed the woman's seal on her forehead, then wiped her tears and held her in his arms.

Sakura cried into the solid chest that belonged to Itachi and felt his chakra connect with hers, it enveloped her in a soothing warmth. She reciprocated and allowed his chakra to melt with her own, it's as if she openly let him wonder through her mind and soothe the pain that she was in.

Itachi knew that he needed to close any memories that would hurt her and he took the brunt of the experiences that she had lived through before. If he left them open, she would only wake up from the genjutsu disoriented and in fear. He wanted to see the innocence back in those crystal green eyes of hers once more.

As the young woman calmed down, he continued to hold her in his arms as he dispelled the genjutsu and both of their minds were thrust into reality. He still held the back of her neck and his arm was still around her waist but she was sound asleep in his arms. The exhaustion must have gotten to her.

Itachi laid her down next to his best friend and placed a blanket over her as she slept. He ran his fingers through the fringe of her soft pink hair and placed his index and middle finger over the seal on her forehead. He whispered, "Sakura-san, you may be the key to the survival of our village"

He stood up and placed some traps around the hideout so that the two-shinobi's inside could recuperate without any worry. He vowed to himself that the mistakes of this woman's past, and his future, would not come to fruition. He silently stood in the trees keeping watch over his best friend and a young, mysterious woman that was becoming a prevalent fixture in his thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4 All Around Me

A/N: So, in the last chapter someone reviewed that they were not sure of Sakura's age. She is the same age as she was in HER universe/dimension. This makes her 17 years old which is the same age as Itachi in HIS dimension. This also places her closer to Shisui and Kakashi's age. In this fic, Itachi and Sakura are 5 years younger than Shisui. Kakashi is 6 years older than Sakura.

So, ages as of right now, in the dimension that I am writing this fic are as follows: Sakura 17, Itachi 17 (but older than Sakura by 9 months), Shisui 22, Kakashi 23.

I know that timelines can get screwy with timetravel fics, so to clarify: Sakura was in her dimension with the whole Kaguya/Shinobi War Arc, with some slight one-sided KakaSaku action going on. She was sent through one of Kaguya's dimensions to a parallel universe of Obito's past, but she herself stayed the same age with intact memories. Obito sent her here, not Kaguya, so it's not like she had amnesia or something.

In future chapters, there will be things that tie both worlds together and hopefully we can make it all work in the end.

Hope this cleared some stuff up. Do not worry, Kakashi and Shisui fans, they will have their own extensive chapters later on.

* * *

Shisui could feel a body stir beside him but was unable to see anything. Instinctively he began to panic but felt a strong presence flare his chakra to his right. He knew this chakra like his own. It belonged to Itachi. _'Wait, what is Itachi doing here. Where the hell am I?!'_ Itachi must have seen the panic setting in because Shisui's chakra began to flare and his respirations began to come in short, shallow pants.

Itachi gripped both of Shisui's shoulders and whispered, "I am here Shisui. You are indeed alive and we will find a way to save our village and our clan from misfortune." Itachi was so relieved to see his best friend alive, when hours ago, he had been doing compressions on his chest to get his heart pumping. In his excitement, he suddenly hugged him, relief washing over him. Shisui was still in shock, not because of Itachi's sudden contact, but because his mind was trying to process that he was still alive. This was wrong, he was supposed to have died, he had jumped to his death. Why was he alive? He remembered bits and pieces from yesterday's events. The fall, the darkness that had enveloped him, and the soft green glow that called to him. As he thought about all of this, he finally allowed his arms to hug Itachi back, after all, they were like brother's and if his 'death' had moved Itachi to actually engage in human contact, it must have really taken a toll on his best friend.

Sakura stirred but remained asleep due to her chakra exhaustion. Shisui felt the movement but did not know who was next to him. He instinctively tried to jump up from his position only to be restrained by his best friend. "It's ok Shisui, the woman that is next to you was the one that saved you. She healed you but is now suffering from chakra exhaustion." Shisui tried to process what Itachi had just told him but was still uneasy. "Itachi, what about… if Danzo sent her to take my eye… did you give it to her!?" His thoughts were spilling from his mouth a mile a minute. He was starting to panic, something that Itachi was unused to seeing in his best friend.

"Calm down and sit back. She was not sent by Danzo… and she… placed your eye back in you." He looked at his friend and could see the emotions swirling underneath the bandaged face. "You let her do what?!" Shisui almost screamed at him. "How could you let her do that! If my eyes were… I don't want them to be used against the people that I care about! Itachi for a genius, you are taking a huge risk by keeping me alive, I was already on Danzo's list, it's only a matter of time before Root begins to investigate you too."

"Shisui, who better to take care of the power of your Sharingan than yourself?" Itachi leveled with him and waited for him to respond. Shisui was silent but gently touched the bandages that encompassed his face. He then touched where the gaping chest wound had once been only to feel smooth skin underneath his calloused fingers. _'Did she really do this all herself?'_ He had known that his body wouldn't last with the injuries that he had sustained, so suicide was his only option at the time.

Shisui reached out towards the body that laid next to him. Itachi almost stopped him, but then thought better of it. Shisui needed to figure things out on his own. As Shisui gently touched Sakura's arm, Itachi whispered, "Her name is Sakura Haruno and she has a very interesting past. I was able to place her in genjutsu and find some… interesting things about her." Shisui felt the warmth of her skin and he gently tried to expand his chakra, trying to get her own chakra to respond to his.

The sleeping form of the woman next to him began to stir once more but remained asleep. Her chakra did respond to his touch as it gently flared and then allowed Shisui's chakra to flow through hers. Sakura's chakra almost welcomed his own and Shisui was not sure what to do. He 'looked' towards the direction in which Itachi was sitting, and although he could not see what his best friend looked like, he said, "Why does this feel so inviting and warm even though she is asleep. There is no malice or hatred. Are you sure she is a shinobi?" Itachi would have nodded but due to his best friend's condition, gently squeezed his friends shoulder and then placed his own hand over Shisui's to let his chakra seep into Sakura. Itachi felt the same warmth that he felt when he had been compressing Shisui's chest, but this time it gave him a feeling which no other medic nin that had ever treated him before had emitted. It was peaceful and full of an unspoken hope.

They both removed their hands and knew that this woman was going to affect their lives. Shisui's attitude changed and he softly said, "Itachi, I am sorry for not being stronger before… for choosing to die…" Itachi silenced him by saying, "It took so much for this woman to heal you, I don't know of anyone else that could have done it, and… like you said, Konoha is not safe for us right now. I'm just glad to have you back."

"So, did you figure out who she is exactly?" Shisui stretched his arms over his head. "To a certain extent I did, but I am not sure if I want to put her through that again. Her mind held many images of war…. and of things that are yet to come." Itachi waited for Shisui's response. "What do you mean things to come?" Itachi wondered how he could explain the images that he saw in the woman's mind.

The silence was beginning to annoy Shisui. He knew that Itachi always was careful in his words but this was taking longer than usual. Finally, he replied, "Shisui, there is so much to tell you, but I believe that we need to get to know her as well. She is important and I believe she will help save not only our village, but our clan as well."

The older Uchiha contemplated Itachi's answer and then said, "You will tell me what you know… but I trust your judgement for now." He laid back down on the blanket that was on the floor and told Itachi to rest for a bit. Itachi smirked at his friend and audibly sighed in response, but sat next to Sakura all the same and stared at the soft pink locks that covered the bright green eyes that had enthralled him in her mind.

An hour or so later, Sakura turned in her sleep and rolled closer towards the body heat that was next to her. She sighed contently as she felt her body relax into the enveloping warmth that she felt around her being.

Itachi, on the other hand, had no idea what to do with the now sleeping woman in his arms. He felt bad at the thought, but right now he was glad that his best friend's eye was bandaged up. If Shisui had seen the look on the Uchiha heir's face, he would have never lived it down. Sakura had somehow snuggled up to him and his arm automatically draped over her shoulder, as if to share his warmth with her, and bring her close to his own body. He didn't know why he did it, it was an automatic response and he now cursed himself for doing such a foolish action.

Maybe it was the need to protect the 'small child full of innocence' that he met in her mind. Maybe his body was reacting to something, or some emotion, that his mind still had not grasped, but whatever the reason, Itachi Uchiha had a light blush grace his features as he closed his eyes and allowed this woman who he had just met continue to sleep peacefully in his arms.


	5. Chapter 5 I Caught Fire

It was right before dawn and Itachi opened his eyes to see that Sakura was now holding on to him by his waist. She had laid her head on top of his chest, right above his heart the steady beating of his heart and the smooth rise and fall of his chest had sent her into a deep slumber. He could tell by the slowed, even breaths that came from the young woman on top of him. His mother would have murdered him herself if he had ever taken advantage of a young lady, but… he did not force Sakura to sleep like this.

 _She_ had cuddled into his side and had taken advantage of _him_. Either way, he was not upset and felt quite at peace with his current predicament. The Uchiha clan's heir, rarely got a chance to be himself and always had to act and treat others with a certain level of dignity that befell his position. The only other person to see his true side, was currently asleep a few feet away wrapped up with the blanket that had belonged to Sakura. _'No wonder she sought some warmth during the night…'_

He was absentmindedly playing with a lock of her hair and feeling it's soft texture when she took a deep breath in and hugged him closer, wrapping a leg around his thigh, sighing in content as she made herself comfortable.

Itachi, however was now actively recalling the way that he held onto her in the confines of her mind, and how her body melted into his when he had release the genjutsu. Her haunting gaze from the night before plagued his dreams and he wondered how much her eyes would shine if she were to be happy. Would they shine with the same innocence as the child that her mind had created, or would they glow with the wonder of a young woman that was ready to conquer the world.

Her eyes had caught him and he had lost himself in their depths. It's said that the eyes are the windows to a person's soul, and the Uchiha felt that this was the truest statement, after all, their dojutsu was dominated by powerful all-seeing eyes. From what he saw in this woman's eyes, and through her memories, Itachi believed he saw a clear picture of who she truly was. There was a fire that was kindled deep within him. He was still unsure of how he felt about it… but for now he would just enjoy present moments like this.

Shisui turned to his side and although his eyes were still bandaged up, Itachi feared that his best friend would discover this intimate moment and misinterpret the whole thing.

 _'How do I get out of this situation without alarming Shisui?'_ he thought. He took several deep breaths, trying to control his now increasing heart rate and gently rubbed Sakura's back. He whispered, "Sakura-san…" No answer. "Sakura-san… please wake up."

Green eyes fluttered open as she gazed deep into Itachi's face quickly realizing how close they were and where her hands, and leg, were currently resting.

She was about to scream, but Itachi quickly placed one of his hands over her mouth as he motioned over to Shisui's sleeping form. Sakura gasped slightly and the small movement of her lips underneath Itachi's hand, sent a shiver down his spine. He removed his hand and pretended like it didn't affect him.

Sakura, in her embarrassment, did not notice and was quickly removing herself from the Uchiha heir's person. She bowed down, her cheeks deeply colored, and proceeded to apologize profusely. "Sakura-san, please… stop… Please, look at me…" She did, but was not prepared for what he said next, "It's not like it was an unpleasant…" He smirked at her and for the first time showed a genuine smile.

Sakura turned a deeper shade of pink and Itachi mentally noted that he quite enjoyed her coloring. She was still shocked at the implied innuendo and could only stare, mouth agape at the very handsome features of the Uchiha heir. His smile was a sight to see. Not even Sasuke, his own brother, ever smiled like that at her. Itachi took a chance to place one finger underneath her chin and close her mouth while staring deeply at her and saying in a slightly husky voice, "Uh, uh we'll have none of that now." He quickly winked at her and got up and left the outpost leaving the young woman stunned.

If she were to say anything of this, to anyone else, no one would believe her and he would deny every single word.

He needed to put space between himself and her alluring eyes. He silently left out the window to get some fresh air. _'Why the hell did you just do that?!'_ He chastised himself, but in his mind, his answer was, _'It seemed like a good idea at the time.'_

Sakura was stunned to say the least and could not believe how Itachi Uchiha, heir to one of the most powerful clans in Konoha's history, had just flirted with her.

 _'No that was not flirting…. Was it?!... There is no way that happened, it must have been a dream, or maybe a genjutsu!'_ She became alarmed and formed her hands in front of her and said, "Kai!"

Nothing happened… _'What in the world?!_ '

Shisui stirred from his sleep once more and began to stretch his arms out. This broke Sakura out of her thoughts and into the present. She needed to check Shisui's condition, but she needed to form a trust with him to allow her, a complete stranger, to examine him.

Shisui had entangled himself in the blanket and was feeling rather warm when he woke up. He guessed that the woman named Sakura was awake by the sound coming a few feet away. He knew that he would have to greet his savior sooner or later and decided that right now was as good a time as any. Putting his previous reservations aside, he smiled at her and bowed his head, "You must be the medic-nin that saved me… I am forever in your debt." He smiled genuinely and Sakura was instantly put at ease. His voice was smoother than what he sounded like yesterday. It was rich and deep, with a humbleness that she had never heard from any of the Uchiha men that she had ever met.

Shisui's easy going nature helped start the conversation that would have been rather awkward, so following her own instincts she smiled and cheerfully said, "There is nothing that you owe me, it is my duty to help others in need."

She sounded sincere to Shisui and he wondered just what Itachi had seen in this woman to make him, out of all people, trust her so easily. He continued with a slight chuckle, "It may seem that way to you… but from where I'm sitting, my life was in your hands and you chose to save it. I can't ever repay that."

Sakura approached him and he stayed in place. She knelt beside him and said, "Shisui-san, my name is Sakura Haruno, I am honored to meet you." He wondered why she chose to say honored, as if she knew him or something but he waved her off and said, "Me, I'm just a simple shinobi, there is no need to speak with such formality." His grin was infectious and Sakura found herself smiling along with him.

"Shisui-san, may I check your injuries?" She wanted to get his permission before touching him. He smiled and said, "Really, what injuries? I swear you took care of the paper-cuts that I had" He really was trying to calm her nerves. Even though she was friendly, she was still being overly courteous and if what Itachi said was true, this woman might become someone very important to him soon. He wanted to see who she truly was when her guard was down and he needed to gain her trust to do that. His father taught him that the information that one could obtain with quick wit and charm is a hell of a lot easier than trying to take one down and hold a kunai to their throats.

Sakura laughed at his joke and he had to admit that he did like the sound of her laughter. "Ok, Shisui-san, I am going to place my hands on your chest and spread my chakra throughout your system. You suffered some serious injuries last night and I had to stimulate your body to produce more blood. I also had to heal many wounds. I promise that I will be quick and will tell you everything I do before I do it."

He smiled and he said, "Well, I'm all yours! How do you want me, on the floor or…." He heard a small giggle escape from her mouth and quickly said, "I'm so sorry… that came out completely wrong, I did not mean anything vulgar, I just meant… I mean do you want me to lay down… I mean for the examination." He grinned and rubbed the back of his head nervously. This nervousness was something that reminded her of Kakashi. She unconsciously placed her hand over her heart at the thought of her former sensei, who had become more recently her daily sparring partner. She missed him. She desperately wished that she had said goodbye to him before she left with Obito. She missed everyone. Before she got sentimental, she brushed her thoughts to the side and said, "Please just sit wherever you are comfortable, this shouldn't take long."

He quickly followed her directions and sat down facing her. She softly said, "I need to touch your bare chest, is that ok with you?" He nodded and sat still. Her hands were warm, but he expected them to be softer. Her hands felt like those of a hardened shinobi that had years of physical training under her belt _. 'So, she works hard at what she does, huh'_ Shisui continued to breath slowly as her chakra spread through his system. It was not an intrusive sensation, he actually liked it even more than what he felt the night before.

Sakura could feel the steady beating of Shisui's heart under her palms and felt reassured by its even rhythm. She finished checking his system and said, "Your body is recovering quite nicely, but you still need rest and fluids to replenish your system. Your heart is strong and steady. I believe if you allow me to continue to heal you for the next couple of days, you should be as good as new." He wanted to ask about his eyes but waited until she broached the subject.

As if reading his mind, Sakura said, "Shisui-san, I am not aware of the circumstances surrounding your injuries, and if you don't want to share that with me I understand… I also want you to know that the reason your eyes are bandage is because Itachi-san was in possession of your left eye and I reinserted it and connected all of its nerve endings and chakra pathways." She let that sink in for a moment but continued, "I need to make sure that everything is still ok… so I will have to remove the bandages and send chakra directly into your eye. However, you must try not to activate the Sharingan until I have determined that the chakra pathways are stable enough for your Dojutsu. I do not want you to inadvertently cause yourself more damage by activating the Sharingan prematurely."

He sighed and took a deep breath as he softly said, "I will do as you wish. Do you know if I will be able to see when you take the bandages off?" She honestly told him, "I do not know for sure, but we will be cautious and not try to open your eyes right now, we should wait until it gets dark to reduce the strain on the eye muscles, but I do need to examine your eye internally with my chakra this morning. The longer we wait, the harder it will be to restore your eye." He thought about his right eye and how he might never be able to use it since Danzo currently held it in his possession. He had covered his right eye socket and looked down as he thought of the repercussions of someone like Danzo having control of his power.

Sakura thought that he was in pain due to the loss of his right eye and gently rubbed his shoulder as she reassured him, "I sealed the nerve endings and chakra pathways cleanly. If we ever find your right eye, or can do a transplantation, your eye socket should be prepared for such a procedure with minimal damage."

 _'She was thinking of my wellbeing this whole time… huh… maybe you're right Itachi… she does seem like she has her heart in the right place, but I'm not sure that someone like that can survive for long in these dire times.'_ His thoughts rarely went down this dark path but after everything that he had been dealing with… with his clan…. with the village elders…. with ANBU… well his mind wasn't as optimistic as it usually was.

Shisui looked up at her direction and said, "Well, let's get this over with then…"

She instructed him to keep both of his eyes closed and gently unwrapped the bandage. She noted that there was some slight swelling, but nothing that alarmed her. Sakura informed Shisui of this and then said, "I will begin sending some of my chakra to soothe some nerve endings. If it at any point you notice any pain, please let me know. I did most of the critical work last night so if there is anything too severe I need to fix it now or else there could be visual damage that might be permanent. Please don't feel as if you have to endure the pain."

He was glad that she explained everything to him, most medics did not have such a great bedside manner. If she hadn't told him anything, he would have just put up with any pain and probably screwed up his eyes even more. His pain tolerance was something that most people could not comprehend.

Shisui felt her hands upon his face and then felt a soft warm feeling gently flowing through his eye and felt his own chakra respond to hers.

She softly said, "Shisui-san I need for you to think about something calming… your chakra is reacting to mine, and although it is not fighting it, I don't want to send any of your own chakra into the eye itself." He tried to do as he was told and could not remember a time in which he was truly at peace… His life had been riddled with tragedies, so he thought of the time when Itachi and him met.

They met when Itachi's father, Fugaku, had come to Shisui's house to inform him of the mission that had taken the life of his father. A very young Itachi had been present and had bowed respectfully to him once his father had delivered the news. Fugaku placed a hand on Shisui's shoulder and only said, "Your father was a great shinobi, and a good friend, we will always honor his memory."

Shisui's mother had died two years prior and with his father gone, Shisui had no one else in the world. Yes, he was still part of the Uchiha clan and would always have their support, but the lonely nights in his home were unbearable for the young child. It was during this time that a five-year-old Itachi came knocking on his door one day asking Shisui to train him. At first, he wanted nothing to do with anyone, and had even rejected Itachi, but as the persistent boy showed up at random times, and always brought him food, he relented and started teaching him what he knew. Even though Itachi was such a small child, he had shown him compassion and friendship during those first few months.

Shisui and Itachi were inseparable for that first year and soon Shisui became a frequent visitor at Itachi's house. Growing up these last few years around him, made Shisui become a better shinobi, but also a better man. The motherly love that he received from Mikoto was something that he had craved since his own mother's death. He truly felt a part of the family and had bonded with Sasuke and earned Fugaku's respect. Itachi grew up to be his greatest confidant. They shared everything and both boys would talk about their ambitions and their dreams. Even though both detested clan politics, Itachi's intellect seemed to comprehend the need for it. It's as if the young Uchiha heir had a comprehension of human nature at a very early age.

Shisui realized very early on, that if Itachi ever became Hokage, the world would be vastly changed, and for the better. It was Shisui's dream to support Itachi and be his right-hand man to help accomplish their dreams of peace. These were the memories that calmed Itachi the most. The memories of his best friend taking him out of the bottomless pit of depression that he was falling in, and filling it with hope for the future.

As if Shisui's thoughts called him, Itachi appeared at the window and silently came in, trying not to disturb Sakura.

Itachi saw the swelling around Shisui's eyes and the soft glow of the woman's hands, but said nothing. Shisui spoke up, "Yo, Itachi!" Sakura, lightly blushed at the sound of Itachi's name but she maintained a focused gaze at her patient.

Itachi sat down next to Sakura, a bit closer than was necessary, but still close enough where it wouldn't be indecent. He leaned over towards the pink haired medic brushing his shoulder against hers and said, "So does he still have some brain function?" She smiled but still looked at Shisui, refusing to look at Itachi. "Hey, what the hell do you mean by that kid?" Shisui pretended to be offended but quickly noted that Itachi actually had his guard down and was being himself around this girl.

Sakura chuckled at the two and said, "Yes Itachi-san, Shisui-san's brain is perfectly intact…" Itachi grinned at his best friend and said, "Well what do you know… maybe she fixed all the loose bolts you had prior." He poked Shisui's shoulder with his fingers lightly pushing him and laughing slightly.

She picked up on their close relationship and it remined her so much of how Naruto would joke around with Sasuke and herself when they finally bonded as a team.

Before she got emotional at the thought of her teammates and her prior life she asked, "Itachi-san, could you please hand me those bandages over there." He reached over and gave her the clean gauze-like material, letting his fingers linger a little longer around hers.

She tried not to notice how his fingers caressed hers as she accepted the item. Itachi was looking deeply at her eyes as he calmly said, "Sakura-san… is this what you wanted?" Her breath increased slightly and Shisui noticed this immediately. _'What is Itachi doing?'_ he thought.

Shisui caught on to the change in voice from his best friend and wanted to bust out laughing. Instead he cleared his throat bringing Sakura's attention to himself.

Sakura said, "Th-thank you Itachi-san." She was not sure why he made her so nervous. Maybe, Itachi's attitude was completely out of character for her because she had preconceived notions about how the Itachi Uchiha of her own world acted.

Sakura focused once more on her patient and began wrapping the bandages around Shisui's eyes. She said, "Shisui-san, there is some swelling around your eyes so we might not be able to try this evening, maybe early tomorrow once the swelling has gone down." He would have been lying if he said that he was not disappointed. He suddenly felt her hands grip his as she said, "Don't worry, everything else looks good so far, so I believe that tomorrow will be a success." He could tell that she was smiling as she was saying this to him and it gave him a sense of comfort.

Itachi saw how Sakura held his best friend's hands and decided that he did not like it one bit. He cleared his own throat and said, "So, we cannot live here indefinitely, and by now there will be certain people looking out for anything suspicious regarding Shisui's disappearance. We need to come up with a plan. But first, let's eat some breakfast." He pulled out a small bag that he had tied at his waist and took out a large handful of berries, three persimmons, and his canteen full of water.

Sakura's eyes widened and she smiled at the fruit. She loved persimmons and it was something that only Kakashi knew about. She took out her utility knife that the older ninja had given her and cleaned it quickly so that she could cut up the fruit for everyone to share.

Itachi noticed the handle and felt that he had seen it somewhere before. He continued to look at how she carefully cut everything and arranged it on top of a clean handkerchief. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't notice that Sakura had gently taken Shisui's hand and directed him to where the cut-up fruit was.

Shisui was thankful that she didn't decide to feed him outright due to his vision loss, but then thought about how it would have affected Itachi if she had. He had a feeling that Itachi would have gotten upset but then decided not to mess with the kunoichi any further… for today at least.

As he kept trying to place where he saw that knife before, Itachi suddenly looked up as he remembered the owner of the knife in her hands and said to Sakura, "You know Kakashi Hatake don't you?"

Shisui stopped mid bite and listened carefully to her response. "Yes, he was my sensei…" She ran her fingers over the handle that had small triangles carved into it.

"What do you mean sensei?!" Shisui said as he put down the bite of food he was about to eat.

She nervously looked towards him and said, "Ummm… I don't know how to explain this, but I was sent here from another time…. From another dimension, to prevent some mistakes from happening that gravely affected my, I mean our village, and the whole ninja world. Kakashi was my genin sensei, and more recently my training partner before the war."

Shisui was trying to process this information. She had been honest up until now and he really did not know if he should believe her. He asked Itachi, "What war is she talking about? Kakashi has never been a genin sensei, I know he is on an ANBU mission until tomorrow! Do _you_ believe her?!"

The Uchiha heir said, "I placed her under genjutsu and saw many things in her mind. I do believe that those memories were genuine and not tampered by anyone else. If what I saw is the future that is to come, I want to do everything in my power to prevent it."

Shisui could not believe what he was hearing, "So you are telling me that you, Itachi Uchiha, is going to work with someone that you just met and you are telling me that you are putting your trust blindly in her?" The implications of Itachi freely trusting someone else, other than the select few people that had come to earn his trust was monumental. Itachi always put everything upon his own shoulders and relied on few people because of it.

Shisui was very confused and the air was thick with tension. Itachi looked at Sakura and said, "Please stop me if he becomes unstable, but know that this needs to be done." He proceeded to take off the bandages with one swift motion. It startled Shisui and he opened his remaining eye instantly. The light was bright, too bright, on the verge of being painful, but Shisui endured it as he saw the morphing of his best friend's onyx eye bleeding into a swirl of black and red.

Once he caught Shisui's eyes he touched his best friend's forehead with his own and connected their minds through the Sharingan.

The flood of visions left Shisui speechless and when the memories that Sakura had shown Itachi finally finished he fell to his knees panting at the rush of information and feelings of pain. She rushed to him, hands already glowing but was stopped by Itachi telling her to give him a minute.

Shisui took in deep breaths and tightly closed his eye, preventing any light to enter further. He looked towards both of them and said, "Ok… OK… give me a second here… So, you are from the future and… Man my head hurts suddenly…" He got a bit dizzy and Sakura broke free from Itachi's grasp as she caught him before he hit the floor.

She had his head on her lap as she gently moved his scruffy hair from his face and soothed the pain in his eyes. He reached up towards her face and moved a couple of wayward strands behind her ear as he squinted up at her. "I'm sorry you went through all of that… blossom." With that Shisui closed his eye and smiled as he said, "I can't believe you have pink hair." "You saw the color of my hair?" She continued to gently stroke his hair softly.

"Yes, for only a second, the light is too bright, but I did... its a very pretty color." She was glad to hear that his vision was intact and said, "Just rest Shisui-san, just rest for now." Shisui was indeed tired from all of these feelings and memories swirling in his head so he decided to fall asleep in her lap.

Itachi was relieved that Shisui had partially regained his sight, but was not at all amused by his best friend's sudden familiarity with Sakura.


	6. Chapter 6 Holding On To You

Itachi stared at the young woman that was continuing to softly run her fingers through Shisui's hair. It's not like she was doing it intentionally, it seemed more of a comforting measure than anything else, but he felt a heat rising to his face with each gentle stroke of her hand.

He was close to reaching out and stopping her fingers from those caresses that he was beginning to covet. Sakura, still unaware of the feelings that she caused the younger Uchiha, continued her ministrations but looked up at Itachi and said, "Itachi-san, I don't mean to be rude but is there a way that I can find a change of clothes and possibly get a shower. It's been difficult to find those comforts in my last couple of days."

How could he have not seen that she must have had personal needs that also needed attending to. "My apologies… I will make sure to get what you need." He also noticed that she still hadn't eaten since their morning's discussion.

A grin spread through his face at the opportunity that presented itself. He grabbed the knife that she used to cut the fruit up and skewered a sliced of the persimmon. He brought it up to his lips and took half a bite. He then looked at Sakura and said, "Would you like your breakfast now?" Her mouth watered and she inadvertently looked at the fruit and then at his lips that glistened with the sweet fruit's juice.

Itachi was a cunning man and he knew what to do to get what he wanted, most of the time. If Shisui was going to monopolize her hands, then he would take over and feed her on his own.

He brought the half-bitten piece of food to her lips and she was torn about what to do. Her eyes never left the onyx orbs of Itachi and she wondered if she could fall deep into their depths and never come out. He again brought the fruit up to his lips and innocently said, "Do you want this instead?"

She wasn't sure what he meant by that, and could only nod. His smooth voice seemed to draw her in with every word. Their eyes continued to gleam with unsaid words, his smile was enchanting, her mouth still watered with hunger… for what she did not know. He brought the fruit up to her lips and she took the piece in between her teeth as he slowly withdrew the knife from her lips.

He imagined what they would feel like but did not want to continue as Shisui's head was still resting on her lap. This seemed to break the spell that they had woven between each other. He stopped teasing her and gently smiled at her as he brought another piece of fruit to her lips. Her lips looked so sweet but he would wait until she got to know him better.

It seemed that he had an unfair advantage over her since he had gain so much information from his genjutsu to know what type of person she was, but he had not given her the same courtesy. That, and it seemed that he would have to ask Shisui what his intentions were before things got too far with him as well.

Sakura could not think at the present. All she could do was focus on chewing her food so that she wouldn't aspirate and then look like a fool in front of two legendary shinobi. She needed to keep reminding herself why she was here and what her mission was now.

She squared her shoulders and looked at Itachi, "Do you think that we could really make a difference and prevent the atrocities that occurred in my own world from happening here?"

Itachi confidently said, "Yes, I believe so but we will have to think everything through and act cautiously. My clan is already at the verge of rebellion. Shisui and myself have tried to make them see reason but it seems that we will have to take a different approach."

She thought about his words and then thought about the Sandaime. "What about Lord Third? Would going to him make a difference? There is so much that we could prevent. If we stop the coup from happening then…. Well, there would be no need for the…. I mean… for what they had ordered you to do to your clan." She stopped as she saw his eyes darken and grip the knife tighter.

"I'm sorry if I brought this up, I know that Sasuke means a lot to you and you loved him very deeply in my own world as well… but we need to rely on each other more than ever. Do you know of anyone else that might help us?"

Itachi's list of trustworthy people was extremely short, so he quickly said the only name that came to mind. "Kakashi Hatake will help us… I just need for him believe us." As he said this, Itachi swirled the knife in his hand and realized how he could get his old senpai on board.

He smiled at her and then said, "We just have to appeal to his logic." Sakura wondered what he meant but then saw the knife and said, "You mean to tell me that the knife that he gave me was something that belonged to him since he was ANBU?!" Itachi leaned in close to her face smiling and said, "Precisely."

Shisui groaned and then said, "Will you both keep it down, I'm trying to sleep." Itachi chuckled and then lightly punched Shisui on his arm, "Get up old man, we need to get some clean clothes for Sakura-san and allow her some comforts… such as a hot shower… I'm sure her muscles are tired from the last few days."

Shisui sat up at the thought of her putting his comfort before her needs and took one of her hands as he said, "Blossom, why didn't you say anything before? Please don't put our needs before yours." Itachi was glad that Shisui could not see the light blush that dusted her cheeks. He almost growled at his friend but held back. He would have to put an end to whatever this was quickly.

As clan heir, Itachi knew of the Uchiha hideouts that were only reserved for the main family. He decided to take Shisui and Sakura there and have them recuperate as he had to return to the village. There were many things that he needed to set up before they returned.

Itachi kept thinking about the memories that Sakura had shown him. He was shocked to know that the idea of eradicating the Uchiha clan had been something that was mentioned to him by Danzo, in not so simplistic terms. His own thoughts had ventured there at times. It scared him to see the future repercussions if he ever did go down that path. Sasuke was the most important thing in his life. He vowed to never let him go through that. The Sasuke that Sakura knew was hardened and filled with revenge and hate. This contrasted to the innocent smiles that his brother gave him when he returned from missions, and the enthusiasm that filled him when they both trained together.

If Itachi was to make his dream come true, he had to have a serious change come to the village. There were people that he needed to protect and people that would help him if he ever decided to trust in others. There were things that Itachi had to work on if his dream of becoming…. No, he wouldn't say it yet. He couldn't say what his heart longed for as a young child. For now, he would be satisfied with bringing peace to his clan and prevent the mass bloodshed that he saw in her memories from his own hand.

Things had already begun to change thanks to her and he would give his very essence to ensure that the future was not as she had lived, but something in which she hoped for.

He stood up and looked at Shisui and Sakura. He extended his hand towards Sakura and she took it as he pulled her up flush against him. He said, "We should get going if we want to make it to our next hideout." The way that she blushed was a reward for having to deal with Shisui this morning.

Shisui sighed and got up and stretched. "So Itachi, what clothes will you get for Blossom here?" he tried to grab her by the waist but missed as Itachi swiftly moved her to his other side and started directing her towards the supply closet.

He looked back at Shisui and replied, "Don't worry about that, I will get everything that she needs." He asked her if she was ready and she said, "Let me just get some supplies that I will need for Shisui-san." Itachi opened the supply closet for her and let her gather what she needed. She looked over at the weapons rack and looked back at Itachi. He nodded and smiled as he said, "Help yourself."

She gathered some shuriken, kunai, and some senbon to fill her weapons pouch. Sakura continued to gather some bandages, some healing ointments, and a few vials of herbs. She looked back at the wall of different sized swords and blades and ran her fingers on top of a blade that reminded her of Sasuke's.

She whispered, "There so beautiful…" Itachi came up behind her and whispered into her ear, "If you like these, I should show you my own collection. Sakura-san, do you know how to handle a sword?"

She slightly looked over her shoulder at him and said, "I can use it if need be, but I'm not trained in the swords arts. I can, however, use this…" She held her hand up and gathered her chakra to create a charkra scalpel. Itachi's eyes danced with amazement as he said, "Impressive…" She then grabbed a Kodachi and infused her chakra once more into the blade to make a longer scalpel.

Itachi ran his hand over her arm as he gently gripped the Kodachi that she also held and infused some of his chakra. The sword was engulfed in a controlled flame that brightened the whole room. He smiled at her and said, "I would like to train you in kenjutsu…. That is if you allow me." Their intimate position was akin to a lover's embrace. She took her other hand and placed it over her heart as she thought about what Itachi was truly trying to convey. She remembered Shisui's words about how hard it was for Itachi to trust anyone, so she figured that he was letting her in. He was going to trust her. There was hope in her heart that she could somehow change the future of the Uchiha clan.

Itachi was waiting for her response, he could tell that she was thinking of the real message behind his words. After all, a true shinobi was trained to see the truth beneath everything. Her eyes sparkled in the dim light, and the flame that radiated from the kodachi, reflected in her eyes. It was mesmerizing to see her eyes in this light. She replied in a voice that was filled with confidence and determination, "It would be an honor… I will not let you down."

His left hand, that was at his side, was slightly coming up to rest on her hip, as the hand that held hers and the Kodachi gripped hers with a slight possessiveness. She softly leaned back into his chest as he leaned further down, his lips right at the shell of her ear as he said, "The honor is all mine…"

"Hey what is taking you guys so long in there?! Itachi are you being indecent with my blossom?!" They both heard Shisui call out to them from outside of the supply room. Itachi let out a soft growl as he looked back at the closed door, gritting his teeth at the perfecting timing that Shisui had to interrupt him.

Sakura stopped the flow of chakra into the blade as did Itachi. She noticed the frustration in the man behind her so she said, "Itachi-san, which blade would you recommend for me." This brought his attention back to her once more and Itachi smiled as he reached behind her and grabbed a katana similar in length to his own. If he was going to train her, a longer-range weapon would be ideal since he knew that she could handle her own with her chakra scalpels in close combat.

"This will suffice for now, it's quality is good and will be a good tool to start off with." She accepted said weapon with both hands as she slightly bowed to him. He ran his fingers down her cheek and smiled, "I am looking forward to our training…"

He reluctantly turned around and opened the supply room door. Shisui was standing still by the door looking in his direction. He asked, "So is there anything else that you might want to give her in that room?"

Itachi knew that Shisui was teasing him so he replied, "No, I gave her what she needed for now. You however need a shirt."

Shisui smiled at how hard Itachi was trying to cover up his feelings. _'He has a lot to learn yet.'_ Itachi had grabbed an extra black shirt in the supply closet and threw it at his best friend. It landed on his face and Shisui burst out laughing saying, "You may have the upper hand right now, but just you wait until my blossom fixes my eyes. We will see who wins then, kid." It sounded like a different kind of challenge but Itachi sighed and said, "Anytime old man… anytime."

They began their trek on foot to one of the Uchiha hideouts.

* * *

Thank you to all the favs/reviews/follows. It's amazing to log into fanfic and see how many people are reading this story. Thank you so much. Sorry this chapter is so short but my home team, The Houston Astros, are playing the baseball world series and I haven't been able to concentrate and write longer chapters. I do try to upload everyday as some of you have seen, so no worries, I will post tomorrow as well!

Please let me know how it's going so far, I still haven't decided what the final pairing will be since I'm writing one or two chapters each day. Suggestions are appreciated.


	7. Chapter 7 Today I Saw the Whole World

"This is where you will be staying… You will have everything that you need in here. There are supplies of food, weapons, and I will leave one of my summons as a means of communication." Itachi had opened the sealed door that lead to one of the clan head's private hideouts. Itachi hadn't been here in two weeks since his last solo mission so he knew that this hideout was better stocked.

Sakura was looking around the underground complex. She was truly amazed at how the Uchiha clan prepared. The hideout had a common area, three bedrooms, one bath, one kitchen with an underground ventilation system, and a room that looked like a dojo with an arsenal of weapons on the far back wall.

Itachi led her to one of the bedrooms and said, "You shall stay here, this is my… I mean, this room will suit your needs and provide privacy." She smiled at him and said, "Itachi-san, we are underground. I don't know how much more ' _privacy_ ' I would need."

He smiled as he moved a lock of her hair that was blocking her eyes. He gently said, "You'd be surprised…" he gazed deeply into her and said with a hushed voice, "Your eyes are captivating… they say all that I need to know."

Sakura gasped as he lightly ran his finger down her cheek. He whispered, "Please know that I am not toying with your emotions…"

She closed her eyes as she looked away. _'Did I say something wrong, was I to forward…'_ he was starting to worry. He could tell that she was holding back some tears.

"Sakura…" he slowly drawled out her name. She looked up at him, her eyes glistening. "tell me what's wrong."

She looked down and her forehead rested on his chest as she tried her hardest to suppress her tears.

He gently stroked her hair and rubbed her back, _'At least she is not pushing me away... but I know that there is something wrong'_ he thought.

They stayed that way for several minutes and then she backed away wiping tears from her face saying, "I'm sorry Itachi-san, it was a moment of weakness, forgive me for being so weak." She bowed formally.

 _'What! Is that what she thought? Why is she being so formal now?!'_ he pulled her close and made her look at him, his hand gently cupping her chin as he said, "Don't ever think that you are weak. Your tears speak of the strength that you must have had to endure with what you have gone through. You are not weak." She looked down once more. Sakura was thinking of how helpless she had been, how she couldn't save Sasuke, how she left Kakashi, how Naruto took too many hits in battle for her. How she didn't even know how she got here, much less how she could ever get back. She left so many things unsaid, so many friends that would never know how much she loved and appreciated.

 _'He thinks that I am not weak, yet Sasuke….'_ Her thoughts once more went back to how her teammate would call her annoying, how he had rejected her many times, and had even tried to kill her. She knew that she loved him since her childhood, but after seeing Kaguya's dimension in which she had a child with Sasuke, she was tortured in thinking if that would have been their future together. She wondered if he had changed enough for her to forgive him.

Sakura looked deep into the eyes of Sasuke's older brother. Oh, how her heart pained her every time Itachi would look at her. She was so confused as she had never been treated by any man in this way. She had grown accustomed to shinobi, and civilian men alike, looking at her in fear, and sometimes disgust, because of her enormous strength and were intimidated by her knowledge. She had heard the rumor mill, how she was not lady like, how she would crush any man who bothered to make a pass at her, how she would never look at any other man other than that traitor… the list went on and on. So, she continued to wait for Sasuke, to have the opportunity to make him see the light and to change. The war however changed many things… She saw the scorn that Sasuke still held for others, how ruthless he could be, and how detached from human emotion he was. She saw the apathy in his eyes when he looked at her, as if calling her useless with a simple look of his eyes.

Itachi's eyes were the shame shade as his, but they were different in their calculating focus and emotion that they could show. He looked at her with warmth. She knew that the Itachi before her had not yet committed the one mission that had changed the course of Konohagakure's history, and she tried her hardest to see that.

She wondered what Sasuke would have thought about his brother now. _'That's a stupid question Sakura, of course Sasuke would do everything to support his brother. He adored him since they were old enough to walk. Who knows if Sasuke would have changed if he was the one to have been sent back instead of me.'_ Her thoughts were confusing to her and she knew that she needed to sort this all out or else she would go insane.

Itachi could tell that she was thinking of something that was making her upset. He gently took her by the hand and sat her down in his bed. He walked into the adjoining room and began filling a tub full of water. Some quick hand seals and a small fire jutsu had warmed the water and steamed up the room.

She sat there on the bed still thinking of her past when he walked out. His hair was coming loose from its bindings and his bangs further framed his face. She wasn't too far gone to notice his focused eyes on her. Before she knew it, he was kneeling in front of her, her hands in his.

"I have prepared a bath for you, please take your time. I will be outside and leave some clean clothes for you on the bed."

She looked at him and could only nod. _'Why is he as different as night and day from the Itachi from my world,'_ she thought, _'Maybe this was how he always was and he was made to suffer in silence for the sake of everything that he loved… for the sake of his brother.'_

"Thank you for your kindness." She tightened her grip in his hands willing the tears to stay put and gave a reassuring squeeze as she smiled at him, a rebellious tear fell from her right eye.

She was still upset but it seemed that her mood was slightly better, her smile reached her eyes somewhat, and it was enough for Itachi. He smiled back and got up as he led her towards the bath.

He opened the door and said, "Everything you need is within reach. Please let me know if you need anything else."

She bowed her head in thanks and when she stepped in the bathroom he went immediately to the drawers that were by the wall. He pulled out one of his shirts and then when he saw how big his pants would be on hers, he went to the room that would have been for his parents and took out some of his mother's jonin gear. He took out a pair of pants, some bindings and other underclothes that he refused to look at for too long. All of this was brought into his room and placed next to his shirt. He wrote a note for her to find and then left the room.

Shisui was tired from the journey but didn't want to admit it to Itachi. He sensed his friend enter the common area and said, "Itachi, how is she doing?" Itachi sat down next to him and said, "She is taking a bath as we speak, she seems overwhelmed with everything that is going on. I think that she is still trying to process what happened to her, but I guess that she is worried about the people that she left in her world."

Shisui thought for a second, "I have no idea how much chakra it would have taken to bring her here, but from what you showed me, we have our work cut out for us."

Itachi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew that this was something that he needed to discuss with his friend and still couldn't figure out what to do. "Shisui, what do we do about Danzo?"

The older Uchiha stiffened at the mention of the man's name. "We have to expose him to Lord Third. There is no other way. Danzo has done unspeakable things and who knows what else he has done to ROOT." Itachi considered his words, "And what about the clan? What do we do there? I can only give us time but it's becoming harder to curb the emotions when so many voices are calling for open rebellion. Even my father…"

Shisui put his hand on his best friend's shoulder and said, "We will find a way. That dream of yours is not dead after all, and I have to support you all the way to the top." The grin on his face made him forget his troubles for a split second. Shisui was the only one that he had ever told about his dream of becoming Hokage to reunite all of Konoha's clans and to influence other hidden villages. Now that Sakura was there and had shown him what awaited their future, he decided that a change of tactics was needed to achieve his dream.

He sighed and Shisui asked, "What's wrong brother?"

Shisui only called him brother when he was truly concerned. Itachi put both hands over his face and let out a slow breath. "I have to learn to rely on other's if this is ever going to work, but at least we have a starting point now. I need to return to the village to speak with Kakashi. Please Shisui, heal, recover, train in using just one eye because we are going to need you."

Shisui solemnly said, "I swear my life to you brother, we will save our village and our clan." Itachi was about to tell Shisui about the change that happened to his own Sharingan when a sliding door opened and Itachi was at a sudden loss for words.

Sakura entered the room and made her way to the kitchen. She smiled as she passed both shinobis who were sitting on the floor. Even though the shirt that she wore was a bit too big on her, the Uchiha crest that adorned the back contrasted perfectly with her messy pink locks still drying from her bath. She was beautiful.

Shisui noticed how Itachi's sudden attention was now elsewhere and he felt the presence of his blossom enter the room.

The attention that Itachi was giving her peaked his own interest and he wondered what he was looking at that made him act this way. Never had he seen Itachi act in such a 'hormonal' way before. Shisui knew that Sakura might be upset, but he wanted to see what had Itachi's full attention. So, he pulled down the bandages and squinted at the direction in which Sakura was standing. Yeah it hurt to see in the light but Shisui could care less at this point, to him this pain was worth it.

Her back was towards them and she was trying to dry her hair by running her fingers through it. Her hip was against the edge of the counter and she was barefoot wearing some jonin pants and that shirt…

Shisui knew that shirt had belonged to Itachi. The shirt's that the Uchiha women wore were a bit more form fitting and the Uchiha emblem wasn't as large. Their clan's crest now was displayed predominantly on her back and she looked like she was born to wear it proudly.

He audibly gasped which served to catch the attention of the woman before them. Sakura turned around and saw that Shisui had taken off his bandages.

She rushed over to him already scolding, "Shisui-san… What are you doing? Please close your eye, the light might be too strong." He noticed how the shirt, that was thankfully too big, slid down and exposed one of her shoulders as she knelt in front of him.

Itachi then grabbed some gauze and offered to cover his best friends eyes himself. Thinking that if Sakura allowed him, he would tighten it so much that it would have to be cut off.

She shook her head and said, "It's ok Itachi-san, I guess since he took off the bandage already I can check his eyes." Her hands glowed and she place them over his eye. She said, "It looks like the swelling is down but I wouldn't want anything stronger than a candle to stress your eye at this time."

She took the gauze from Itachi and thanked him as she began to wrap Shisui's right eye only leaving the left exposed.

Sakura then went and turned off the light in the kitchen and went to sit back down with Itachi and Shisui.

This level of light did not bother his eye that much and Shisui was able to finally take a good look at her face. She had lovely features, soft plump lips, glossy shoulder length pink hair, and gorgeous green eyes.

As he examined her he noticed the steady gaze that Itachi gave her. It's as if she was the only thing in the world to him. He had only noticed Itachi do this with Sasuke. In Shisui's eyes, Itachi adored his little brother and would do anything to keep him safe, he wondered if the same was now true for his blossom.

Itachi spoke, attracting the full attention of Sakura and Shisui. "I must go back to Konoha. I will return in a few days. Sakura, I am sure that you can keep this old man in check while I am gone, but should you need anything you know what to do." She remembered the note that she found on the bed and smiled at him. He really thought of everything and took every precaution.

Shisui said, "Be careful Itachi, they will be more vigilant and have more eyes on you the minute you enter Konoha."

"I know, so I'm going to ask for a mission as soon as I get back, that will give me a chance to speak with Lord Third." Itachi was formulating a plan as they spoke so he stole a quick glance at Sakura and said, "I expect you ready to train as soon as I get back. I'm going to take a shower and then head out" He winked at her and then got up to pack his stuff.

Sakura went to the kitchen and looked around. She saw some rice and began to cook a pot. There were several other items that she could use so she went about the kitchen making some lunch for both of the men in the house.

She packed the small lunch and took a tray out to where Shisui was sitting. The tea that she found was of very good quality and served it while it was still warm. Shisui thanked her as he took the cup from her. Itachi came out and Sakura stood up to accompany him to the door.

He called out to his best friend, "Shisui, you better take care of Sakura-san. If I hear you were misbehaving you will answer to me."

The response coming from the common area said, "Aw go home kid, I can handle it from here!" He didn't really like the sound of that but Itachi decide that he had to leave if he was going to make it to Konoha in time to speak with the Third.

Sakura walked him towards the entrance and said, "Itachi-san, thank you for all that you are doing. I wish you safe travels and… well…"

He took one of her hands and said, "Sakura-san I would never lie to you… I will do everything in my power to change what your visions showed me." He squeezed her hand and said, "You are strong and you are important… important to me… Sakura please take care." She lightly blushed and he sweetly smiled at her with a gentleness that he rarely showed others.

Sakura took the small sack of food and handed it to him as she said, "It's not much but I hope that it is filling for your journey home."

He looked at her and the small gift that she was giving him and smiled a bit wider as he replied, "Thank you… I mean it… Thank you. I will send some sealed scrolls that will contain some fresh produce with one of my summons as soon as I get to the village."

He wanted to lean in and give her a quick kiss but instead brushed her bangs out of her forehead and touched her forehead with his as he said, "I will return to you soon."

With that he took off waving at her as he jumped into the deep forest.

Once he was out of sight, she went back inside to see Shisui munching on the onigiri that she had made.

"Hey Blossom, this is really tasty for making it with what you had available." She grabbed one herself and sat next to her and said, "Thanks, Shisui-san. I even made something for dessert." She smiled as she brought out a small plate for both to share. He only took one look at the plate and then said, "Blossom, did you give some of this to Itachi as well?" "Yes. Why does he not like this?" She asked innocently.

The older Uchiha smirked at her and said, "Oh no, Itachi will definitely love these" He took another skewer and munched down on the sweet treat.

Itachi had already ran a good ways towards Konoha and decided to go ahead and stop on a branch and open up the lunch that Sakura had made.

He opened the sack and found two onigiri with sesame seeds and nori. He ate both and then at found a separate container that was at the bottom. He opened it up and his eyes lit up as he devoured the dango skewers that he found. In his eyes, Sakura could do no wrong, he would have to thank her in some way as soon as he got back. The pink haired kunoichi was becoming a bigger part of his world with each passing day.


	8. Chapter 8 The Run And Go

"Blossom, please don't fuss over me… I am fine, I think I can find my way around a hideout without your assistance. I already mapped out the furniture. As long as we don't move anything around, and keep the lights dimmed at this level, I should be able to find my way without hitting anything." Shisui walked her over to the room where she was going to sleep, she said, "Ok Shisui-san, but If you need anything I'll be just across the hall."

Shisui put his hand over his heart and said, "You took my line Blossom." She giggled and he liked the way that she smiled at him. Shisui grinned at her and said, "Anyways…. Goodnight… Umm I'll be here if you need anything."

She walked into the room and went to the dresser where she left the note that Itachi wrote to her. She held it close to her and thought about what he wrote.

His words had given her comfort, _'Sakura-san, I understand that what you must be going through is difficult, but based on what I saw in the recesses of your mind, you are an amazing person who has always worked hard to protect the ones that you love. Let's work together to save our village and I swear that I will try to help you find your way back home. If you need anything I will be here for you. My summons will be making daily visits twice a day, but if you need to contact me use these signs and activate this seal to summon one of my crows. Sleep well, Itachi'_

She placed the note on the nightstand next to the low bed and went to the dresser to find anything to wear at night. As she rummaged through the dresser she found a soft cotton black shirt. The shirt was loose enough that in her small frame it looked like a night shirt. She took it out and changed placing the clothes that Itachi had given her neatly on the chair next to the dresser. She knew she would have to wash her clothes first thing in the morning, but sleep was calling to her now.

As she was going to close the drawer, she noticed a small handmade stuffed animal. It was a little black bird that was stitched by hand. It looked like a cute, little crow and it reminded her of Itachi instantly. When she took it out, a small folded paper came out from under it's wing. She didn't want to pry but her curiosity got the better of her. _'Sasuke, keep this near when I am off on missions. It will keep you safe. Love always, your big brother'_

She clutched the small crow tighter at the thought that this was something that Itachi made for Sasuke. She could picture a very young version of her teammate waiting for his brother to pick him up from school _. 'Wait… he made this for Sasuke… This must mean… this is his room! And… and… these are his clothes!'_ Sakura touched the fabric of the shirt and Itachi's face came to the forefront of her mind. He was so considerate and seemed to think two or three steps ahead, making sure that she was comfortable and felt at ease.

She looked around and then really noticed that this room seemed to fit Itachi perfectly. The dark blue blanket with a single white strip at the bottom with the Uchiha crest neatly stitched in one corner. Two simple pillows and a headboard that was a dark, rich wood, with no ornamentation. The desk in the room was clean and tidy with several books stacked to one side.

By the dresser there was a trunk that was unlocked. She opened it up and saw scrolls and books on a variety of subjects, from strategic warfare, weapons, anatomy, physiology, medicinal herbs, diplomatic treaties, mythical stories, and sacred texts that spoke of the gods and creation. She was astounded by the varied interests that he had and thought that his genius was not only a natural talent, but something that he worked hard at. Inside the trunk she also found a beautiful set of twin katanas that were sheathed in their scabbards, and then wrapped in a luxurious silk cloth. Sakura dared not undo the bindings as it seemed too precious and personal. She gently placed the blades back in the trunk and gently closed the lid. So, she was going to learn much about the Uchiha heir in her time here, and it was something that both excited and frightened her at the same time.

She took the small stuffed bird and placed it next to the note that Itachi wrote to her on the nightstand. She got in the bed and pulled the covers up to her chin as the darkness of sleep quickly invaded her mind.

 _'Sakura-chan… wake up sleepy head! Kakashi-sensei is taking the whole team out to eat Ramen! I naturally told him that you would want Ramen and since I like Ramen too, I figured that we could all go together!'_ In her mind Naruto was jumping up and down next to her willing for her to wake up. She could hardly believe what she was seeing.

Sasuke was sitting next to her bed and was looking at her with a neutral expression. _'You need to hurry or you will make us late again Sakura.'_ His voice sounded a bit stressed but it wasn't malicious.

Sai suddenly came into view and said, _'Hag, are you already wearing another man's clothes?'_ She got up and covered herself with the blanket as if to shield their eyes from the shirt with the Uchiha emblem on her back.

Kakashi suddenly appeared by the door and walked over to the group as he said _, 'Sakura, it's time to go, Yamato here has graciously agreed to cover tonight's bill.'_

The captain retorted, _'Hey Senpai, this was all Naruto's doing, he is the one that wanted to throw her a going away party! I told him that it was just a simple merchant escort mission that she was going on but no… he kept rambling on about how much we should appreciate each moment we had and so on.'_

She looked at the group of men, they all had carefree expressions on their faces, well everyone except a certain Uchiha. She looked around and then said, _'Where are we? Did we win the war?'_

Naruto looked at her with concern in his eyes _, 'What war Sakura-chan? There hasn't been a war here since the Third Shinobi War. The Hokage has formed a long-standing peace treaty and we have been at peace with the other shinobi nations for many years now.'_ Sakura looked confused and then noticed that they were all sitting in her bedroom back in Konoha. She walked up to the window and saw the great Stone Face Mountain and noticed that the Godaime's face was no longer Tsunade, but Itachi himself. She took a step back but was caught by the hands of Sasuke as he hurriedly covered her with a blanket as he whispered, _'If you and my brother want to blatantly announce your relationship to the whole village that is your problem, but please refrain from dressing in his clothes in my presence… it's weird… I don't care how much my parents like you, you were my teammate first, so please just cover up.'_

 _'What is happening?'_ She looked at each of her former teammates and began to cry, was this reality? Was this something that was happening or was this all conjured up from her mind.

There was a sudden shift in her reality and she was thrust back into that melting world of lava. She was once more being held by Kakashi as they hung from the scroll that he had thrown tied to a kunai. This time, however, Kakashi was also severely injured and could hardly hold his own weight, much less hers combined. He looked down at her and said, _'Sakura, I just want to tell you that the last few months… you have made me feel more alive than I have ever felt. Thank you… for being the ray of sunshine in my life. It may not mean much right now but know that I deeply care for you… I mean I love you.. and…'_ his grip was giving out and he put all of his strength into throwing her towards one of the rocks. She got a grip into the rock face and looked back to see him pull back his mask and scream at her, _'Sakura!'_ as he fell into the pit below her.

She screamed out his name, _'Kakashi! NO! Don't leave me!'_

The reality changed once more and she saw Naruto impaled by hundreds of chakra infused spears. Kaguya was holding his body in midair, laughing as the vast vines of chakra that had trapped her friends snapped tight and crushed the bodies of her friends inside. The only thing that was left was blood escaping the narrow openings. The eerie silence was broken by her wails and cries.

As she continued to cry, she was then thrown into a desert-like environment and for a second she thought that she might have been in Suna, but as she wiped her eyes she saw the one person that she had hoped to save since childhood.

Sasuke laid on the sand several feet in front of her. He was dehydrated and his skin was so dry it was peeling. She ran to him and knelt beside him as she cradled his head. The Uchiha managed to look at her as she tried to send chakra into his core. The purple Rinnegan and the red Sharingan were stark contrasts in his lovely face but she didn't care, what mattered was that he was here and she could try to save him. He smiled at her and moved her hand away as he said _, 'You're late. It's so annoying…'_ She began to cry once more and she repeatedly apologized to her once love. He tried to laugh but it came out more like a grunt than a chuckle. He strained to raise his voice so, she lowered her head to him and he said _, 'Break the cycle…. Stop the loop…. the Curse of Hatred. The Six Path's, me… Naruto… find us in the past… Don't let this become our reality… you know our past… then fix your future. Save my brother… save my clan… and… thank… you for… loving me.'_ He took his last breath in her arms as she screamed into the sky.

Shisui heard the ear-piercing scream from next door and grabbed the tanto that he had underneath his pillow as he rushed into her bedroom.

She was covered in sweat, screaming and clawing at her arms and face. He noticed that the room was empty and that she was having a nightmare. He rushed to her and pushed off the blankets and pulled her close to him, almost sitting her on his lap. In her terror, she felt his arms around her and began sobbing and rambling on about how she left them all to die.

She must be thinking about her world. He couldn't stop her crying and he was not able to use his Sharingan at the moment. He pulled her close to him and picked her up. He headed into the bathroom and jumped into the tub with her still cradled in his arms as he opened the water to fall on them both.

She seemed to jerk with each spray of the water but was beginning to come out of her state. They were completely soaked, clothes practically glued to their bodies as the water clung to them. He felt her continued cries as he gently stroked her hair and whispered words of comfort. She was feeling the deep anguish from seeing everything, seeing her teammates die, seeing Sasuke give her a cryptic message. Sakura felt lost with no way to find her way back home.

As her body began to feel the cold of the water, she began to shiver and clung closer to Shisui. His hair was covering the right side of his face as his left eye was watching her intently. She continued crying desperately trying to hold onto him. "Blossom, it's ok to let go, I am here… I will be here and I am not going anywhere."

She put her head on his shoulder as he tried to reach over to turn off the cold water and turn on the hot. The spray of water gradually turned to warm and then to a comfortable heat that made Sakura finally stop shivering and lay still in his arms.

The tub was almost full when he shut off the water and stayed with the exhausted woman in his arms, gently caressing her hair and whispering soothing words. She sighed and began waking up from her state and saw that Shisui held her closely. She had her arms around his shoulders and could now feel the strong back that held her close and upright. She could feel his pulse as she had her head in the crook of his neck. His hands were gentle and never once tried to take advantage of her. She felt safe and protected.

Once Sakura calmed down, she looked at the solitary eye and gently moved his hair out of his face. He looked worried as he softly said, "Blossom… whatever it is, I am here for you." He didn't ask her if she was ok, he didn't ask her to get a hold of herself, there was no need for patronizing remarks. He was wholly present for her in her time of need and that is something that she would forever thank him for. She did not need his pity, sorrow, or understanding, she just needed him there.

He continued to look at her with a warm and comforting gaze and she said, "Please… don't leave me alone tonight… I don't think I can handle this alone."

He closed his eye as he gently put her head back on his shoulder and said, "Blossom… Do not worry. I will be here until you say so otherwise." The water began to cool once more and he said, "I think that we need to get out of these wet clothes first." She looked up at him and saw him blush. It was adorable. She knew that he didn't mean it to come out like that so, she saved him some embarrassment and said, "Yeah, if we both catch a fever, Itachi would have our heads." She smiled a bit and could see that he chuckled and reached for the towels nearby.

Shisui handed her a towel and said, "Wrap yourself up and stay here, I will be back in just a bit." Shisui grabbed a towel for himself as he wrapped his lower half and shimmied his soaked shorts off. He ran into the room where Sakura was staying and grabbed a pair of boxers and sweatpants that Itachi had in one of the drawers. He took a quick look around, noticed the god forsaken bird that Itachi gave Sasuke on his fourth birthday and then ran into the room that belonged to Itachi's parents. He went straight to the closet and found a light blue Yukata that belonged to Mikoto and ran back into the bathroom. Sakura had taken off her clothes and was covered by only a towel.

If he hadn't been so focused on getting her warm, he would have starred outright at how enticing she looked.

Sakura saw the yukata in his hands and said, "Is that for me?" Shisui looked down at the item in his hands and handed it over to her. He swiftly, ran out of the bathroom and closed the door.

He said from behind the door, "Yeah it probably belongs to Itachi's mom's. Since this is a main family hideout, everything her pretty much belongs to Itachi and his family." Shisui was trying to control his heart rate, and the thought that she was undressing behind the door was not helping his resolve.

The door handle jiggled and he moved from the door as she walked out. The yukata looked splendid on her and he took a deep breath and extended his hand out towards her. She took it and walked over to the bed. She looked down the whole way there, but when they got to the edge she looked up and said, "You promise that you will not leave…" She was weary of her request, maybe this was too much to ask…

"Yes, Blossom, I will be here do not worry." He brought the chair right up to the bed and waited for her to get in. He sat next to her and grabbed her hand as he gently squeezed and said, "Don't worry Blossom, big bad Shisui will be here to ward off any bad dreams." He grinned at her and she smiled back as a yawn overtook her.

"Sleep now my blossom… We will have plenty of time to work all of this out." Shisui turned off the light at the nightstand and once the room was shrouded in darkness did he attempt to activate his Sharingan. He wanted to see if there were any unknown dangers that his naked eye could not decipher.

His vision bled red for a second but the headache that ensued was steadily getting worse so, he decided to wait until Sakura checked out his eye before sending anymore chakra into his sole eye.

He stood vigil all night long, watching the even breath of the young woman. Shisui remembered previous missions in which he had to stay guard for nights at a time, working on very little sleep, so, watching over Sakura's dreams was actually a bit of a treat for him. He had never really had the time to sit and form lasting relationships with other women. He most certainly enjoyed some of their company, but being a shinobi, those relationships were fleeting and never amounted to anything but heartbreak.

He wondered if this is how it would be to sit and watch his lover fall asleep. She stirred and gripped his hand as a slight tremble befell her lower lip. He moved up closer to the bed and gently stroked her arm, calming her down and allowing her to fall into her slumber once more.

The following morning, Sakura woke up with a larger hand gently holding hers and the legendary Shunshin no Shisui asleep in a chair laying his head on the covers of her bed.


	9. Chapter 9 Do I Wanna Know

"Lord Third, I need to request an audience." Itachi's eyes were focused and held the will of fire of a shinobi bound to make dramatic changes. Sarutobi knew that when this young man came to him with these convictions, it was usually something emergent. Sarutobi's carefree response rivaled the alarms ringing in the Sandaime's head, "Sure thing Itachi-kun. How about we walk in my private garden."

The Sandaime's garden was secluded and a good place to speak since it was out in the open. Sarutobi believed that it would be best for them to talk there since there were very few people who could mask their presence in the vicinity of the Uchiha heir. It also served as a way to hide their serious conversations by passing it off as cordial visits between mentor and mentee.

They walked together and Sarutobi noticed the hard lines in Itachi's face as he thought of how to open up to his mentor. "Itachi-kun, please we should talk as old friends by now. There should be no reason to be weary my boy." It was true, Sarutobi had taken Itachi under his wing. There were many things that Danzo did in the shadows and he knew that Itachi's heart was not built for ANBU and he longed to change his position. Alas, Itachi being in ANBU served a double purpose as well, and he preferred to have the young man near him, instead of the clutches of ROOT, or his father and clansmen.

"I need a favor, but I will need your complete trust in the matter. It truly is an emergent situation but I don't know how to approach it without getting this person hurt." Itachi walked ahead and pulled a small flower from the bed and starred at it for a while before looking up at his Hokage, and mentor.

Sarutobi knew that Itachi's heart was never as dark as Danzo made it out to be. He placed an old weathered hand on the young man's shoulder and said, "Just say it as it is and then we will work out the finer details."

Itachi looked up at his mentor and said, "I would like for Yamanaka-san to place me in a mind transfer jutsu to impart my memories of what I have been experiencing, on you and a select few shinobi."

Sarutobi was taken aback. Never had Itachi asked for help willingly, and it seemed that whatever was going on affected him in such a way that he was learning to trust others, even at the cost of putting his most private thoughts on display.

"Do you know what you are asking?" the old man said. Itachi looked directly at him and said, "If it means that this person won't have to suffer through these memories again, I am willing to do it. But, I must have your word that no harm will come to her and she won't be brought in for interrogation by the T & I Unit." Sarutobi wondered what he meant but Itachi had never led him astray and had never placed the Leaf in peril for any selfish reasons.

"Who do you wish to be present?" he asked. Itachi had already made a mental list of people that he would need to make this monumental undertaking possible. "I require Kakashi Hatake, the Sannin's Tsunade and Jiraiya, Shikaku Nara, and Shisui Uchiha."

 _'Shisui Uchiha… that's an interesting development…'_ Sarutobi took out his pipe and lit a smoke as he thought, "Hmmm, that's quite a list you have there… Might I enquire why the other clan heads were not selected."

Itachi swiftly responded, "Some of them will not be directly affected or could be useful in this specific situation, but the Hyuga still have much resentment towards the Uchiha and might use this as an excuse to continue to blame the clan for the villages misfortune." Itachi paused and said, "Sir, one last request…. Under no circumstances is the Uchiha clan, or Danzo, allowed to get any intel on this. It is a matter of dire secrecy that could affect the peace that was so hard won."

The Sandaime Hokage's dream might just come true if Itachi continued to grow and mature, not only in skill but also in wisdom. It took many shinobi years of experience to gain the insight that was needed for the job that Sarutobi wanted for this young man in front of him. The resolve to find peaceful resolutions was evident in his character, and so few people failed to see it.

"I will allow it… I will get things set up here on my end and I can assure you that it will be done in secrecy." Sarutobi was still smoking when Itachi bowed his head and his mentor said, "I heard a rumor about the demise of your best friend Shisui, I can assume that the intel that I was given was erroneous?" Itachi squared his shoulders and said, "Sir, in official documents, it is as _that_ person states, Shisui Uchiha commited suicide at the banks of the Naka river." The venom in his voice was not lost to the old shinobi, but Itachi got his point across. He would have to be weary of Danzo for the time being.

"Very well expect a summons to the Nara compound in a few days' time, I need to get a hold of those two wondering Sannin. Jiraiya and Tsunade will be easy to find, but getting them here will be the problem." With a puff of his pipe he said, "But, don't worry about it for now... Itachi, thank you for trusting in me and in your fellow shinobi…" With that the older shinobi gave Itachi a knowing smile and said, "I will place you on an unspecified mission for the time being. Clearly, this will all be for show, but that will give you time to prepare for this meeting that you are requesting."

Itachi bowed and said, "Thank you Hokage-sama."

Sarutobi looked at the young man as he vanished without a trace of lingering chakra and said to himself, _'I do hope to see you wear these robes one day yourself my boy.'_

* * *

The trip to the Uchiha compound felt like a funeral march and he dreaded going there, but it was something that had to be done.

Itachi passed through the district's gates and went straight home. He knew that there were 6 pairs of eyes following him but did not worry, as he stopped to buy a small bouquet of flowers for his mother before he got home.

He opened the door to his home and took off his shoes, the presence of the shinobi that were following him stopped at the wall but he knew that the sensor ninjas were on full alert documenting his every move.

He called out to his mother and went straight to the kitchen. He had to make it look that he just returned from a mission and had no idea what was happening with the clan, or the matter of Shisui's death.

"Mother! I'm home…" He waited and then saw the small figure of his mother welcome him home with open arms. She gently embraced her son and beckoned him to the kitchen. He pulled out the flowers that he bought for her and gave them to her as he gently placed a kiss on her cheek.

"It's good to see you are safe back home from your mission, my son." The matriarch found a vase and placed the flowers in with some fresh water. She looked at her son and began preparing some tea for him. This was their ritual when he came home from missions. He would buy her flowers and sit as she filled him in on the going about of the village and then Sasuke would barge in and ask Itachi to go over his seal patterns or training.

As he sat there, he noticed that she failed to say anything about Shisui's apparent suicide. He did not bring it up, as he was supposed to have been in a weeklong mission in the Hidden Mist, at least that is what his father had been told.

Itachi continued drinking his tea, waiting for his mother to finish. He respectfully said, "Mother, I am going to take a bath, since Sasuke didn't seem to come bounding in asking me questions." She picked up his cup and said, "Go ahead my son, Sasuke is at a friend's house right now and won't be back until the clan meeting is over… Will you be attending?"

Oh, his father was repulsive in asking his mother to do his dirty work, but he smiled at her and said, "I regret I cannot, I was just assigned another mission that starts at dawn as soon as I got back." She went over to him and touched his cheek as she said with every bit of motherly love that she could give to her first born, "I sure do wish that they wouldn't work you as hard as they do." He touched her hand and gave it a slight squeeze as he said, "Mother I serve our people… and for them I go, when they cannot."

She gave him a kiss on his cheek and said that she would have his ANBU gear cleaned up, to which he protested and said that it was just going to get dirty in the morning. Mikoto wouldn't have any of her sons walk out of her house wearing anything that sullied their dignity, so he relented and bowed to her in appreciation for the things that she was able to do for him.

Itachi grabbed as many sealing scrolls as he could without acting suspicious and started sealing away supplies for him to send to Sakura and Shisui.

He noticed that the sensor ninja's left as soon as his father walked in to the house. Itachi stepped out of his room and greeted his father, in the same respectful manner that he always did. He knew how to play this game better than anyone of the clansmen and he would refuse to have his own father see through his deception. After all, Itachi had surpassed his father's ability two years prior. Now that he possessed the Mangekyo Sharingan their abilities paled in comparison. Even though the difference in power was evident to other's Fugaku had been clouded with the constant voices of his clansmen's lust for power that he failed to realize basic shinobi principles.

Fugaku looked at his son and only saw ways that his clan could gain power, he thought he was always a step ahead of his son and refused to reveal the news of Shisui's suicide. He said, "Son, you are well?" Itachi bowed and said, "Yes father, I was just preparing for another mission that I was just assigned."

Fugaku smirked and said, "Those fools in ANBU at least know talent when they see it! I am proud of you my boy. I will exempt you from your attendance at tonight's meeting. I imagine that you need your rest." Itachi replied, "Only what is required…" In the eyes of his father, he was being molded to be the perfect shinobi: intelligent, deadly, but most of all, obedient to his master.

Once Fugaku left, Itachi went about gathering his gear and preparing for his new 'mission'. He wrote a note, masked his chakra to summon one of his crows, and sent the message to Shisui along with some necessities that he had gathered for them.

* * *

Sakura had been healing Shisui's eye for most of the morning, after her nightmarish sleep the night before she wanted to focus on other things. She seemed confident that he could now surge the amount of chakra needed to wield the Sharingan. She had been drained of some chakra after that, and had spent most of the afternoon asleep in her room.

Shisui had thought about training with his Sharingan, but then decided against it since Sakura would be asleep and he needed to be on full alert. He decided to work his frustrations out on the Wing Chun. It was a wooden martial arts post and pounding his flesh against it seemed to release his pent-up energy. He worked hard while Sakura slept but kept a vigilant ear out for any disturbances that might awaken her. To him, it seemed that Sakura only slept soundly when she was thoroughly exhausted and chakra depleted.

He finished his work out and wiped the sweat off his brow as he sensed one of Itachi's summons approaching. Sakura's chakra flared when she sensed it too. He went out to greet it before she went outside.

"Yo, Blossom, we got a delivery!" Shisui called out to Sakura. She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and went to the front of the hideout where Shisui was petting a very large crow. She looked at the animal and saw the powerful wings and shiny black feathers it possessed. _'The same color as Itachi's hair'_ , she mused. He got the scroll that the bird had been entrusted with and the animal disappeared in seconds once it's job was completed.

They both ventured into the common room and sat on the floor facing each other. Shisui did a specific order of seals, which Sakura had watched and memorized, and the single scroll unrolled into 6 separate scrolls. Each was marked with the contents sealed inside: produce, eggs/dairy/proteins, weapons, medicinal herbs, and clothing. The letter that Itachi wrote to them both filled them in with Itachi's progress in Konoha and how he would be coming to the hideout sometime in the early dawn hours the next day.

Now that the crow had sent supplies, they diligently put everything away. Shisui joked around with her and made light of the work that they did. Sakura felt at ease with the company of the older Uchiha.

As she studied the man before her she remembered that there was little written about him in the Sandaime's official files, but what she witnessed by just being around him made that all seem like it would never do him justice. He was a very enchanting and charismatic man, although he came off as someone very down to earth and humble. She guessed that was his biggest quality. He could connect with people and that was a trait that most of the Uchiha men in her life had lacked.

As if her thoughts suddenly turned dark at the thought of Sasuke, her smiled dimmed and Shisui noticed this immediately. He leaned in and captured her eyes as he put one of his hands on her shoulder, "My blossom… I am here if you want to talk you know…" She softly smiled at her new friend and said, "I can't seem to overcome this sadness every time that I think about my team… about Sasuke."

He took her to the kitchen and sat her down as he began to make some herbal tea for her. When she took the warm cup, she sighed with contentment from the warmth seeping into her hands. Shisui noticed this and let her indulge in this small comfort. When she took a sip, she looked at him and said, "Shisui-san, Itachi-san was able to show you my memories?" He nodded. "Then you know what happened in the past, I mean my past… I refuse to let this take any more people that I care for… it's this cycle…" She stopped and suddenly the cryptic message that Sasuke gave her in her nightmare made sense.

Shisui saw the change in emotions and knew that she was thinking about something and analyzing it. Itachi did the same thing to him countless times before.

She went to her room and took out a sheet of paper from Itachi's desk. She wrote down everything that she remembered from her nightmare. Shisui was at her side in and instant and was reading over her shoulder.

He was appalled to know that she had dealt with that kind of nightmare last night. It was bad enough that shinobi had to re-live past traumas, but to deal with it in such a way was heartbreaking to him.

He gently rubbed the back of her arm as she finished and said, "Sakura… my blossom… I am so sorry that you saw this in your dream… I mean nightmares."

She smiled at him in appreciation for his concern but then said, "Don't you get it Shisui-san, I think that even though I had to see that, I was being told a way to help the future, my future, from ever having to live through that nightmare. It's a cycle! I was just thrown into the direct past of my own universe, I still have a chance to change things and prevent all the unnecessary war from happening in the first place. I thought that it was a dimension, but it could just be that I was sent to my direct past. Me being here changes things already so my friends might not be suffering as we speak like if they were in parallel universes as I first believed."

She sounded just like Itachi when he got excited about a subject that he couldn't begin to comprehend. Right now, time travel and parallel universes was not on his list of expertise, so he just nodded and pretended to follow her and said, "I think that we need to let Itachi know of this as well and see if he can help in any way."

She was happy for the first time at the possibility of understanding what was happening to her that he didn't want to take anything away from that happiness. Sakura continued to furiously write down her thoughts and possible suggestions in the paper beneath her so, Shisui decided to just sit back and watch her work.

It amazed him how much this woman had gone through and was still able to want to help out someone that had hurt her for so long. In his heart he vowed never to let Sasuke go down that path and hurt her as he had done.

When she was finished she actually felt a great weight be lifted off her shoulders. She looked back at Shisui that had been smiling at her and said, "So what do we do until Itachi gets back?"

He grinned and said, "Now, we train." She knew that he had just trained for most of the afternoon so it surprised her that he wanted to train again. She smirked at him and said, "there is no way for me to train in the dojo underground." He smiled right back and said, "Oh yeah and why is that?"

She walked out of the room and towards the dojo as she said, "Well, I personally do not want to be excavated from a pile of rubble. I could turn a simple boulder into dust if I wanted to."

His lone eye widened and he grinned at her, a challenge at the tip of his tongue. He desperately needed to know about this strength of hers now.


	10. Chapter 10 Watch Over You

"I already told you that I will not fight indoors Shisui-san!" She gave him a stern look as he pleaded. He wanted to see her strength in person, so she said, "Look I will not damage the hideout in which we are staying in, so if you must, bring in the biggest rock you can find and we will call it a day."

He ran as fast as he could outside of the hideout and picked up a rock that was about the size of his torso and lugged it in using full chakra in his arms. He placed it on the ground and Sakura said, "Ok but you will clean up this mess…" He waved her off and told her to continue.

Sakura used two chakra infused fingers to softly flick the side of the rock. A sudden dust cloud appeared and the rock was pulverized at their feet. Shisui could only look at her with awe struck eyes as he said, "That is amazing my blossom. Your chakra control must be perfect to not exert almost any chakra on that!" She chuckled and said, "So me saving your life was not proof enough of my chakra control?"

He turned red immediately and said, "No, that came out wrong. What I mean is that you are amazing and one of the most powerful kunoichi's that I have EVER met." His praise was evident and genuine, so Sakura accepted it and gave him a small kiss on his cheek, "Thank you Shisui-san, very few people actually praise me for it, most fear it so…"

Shisui could only touch his cheek where she had just placed a small chaste kiss and said, "They are fools to not see what I see in front of me… and I only have one eye too!" She laughed at his corny joke but took the compliment that was weaved in just the same. Shisui put her at ease and she enjoyed his carefree company a lot.

They continued to banter as she handed him the broom and he kept his end of the bargain and cleaned up the mess. Once the dust had been removed, they both decided that they would train but only in taijutsu, without any chakra or jutsus.

The training dojo was quiet and Sakura was the first to charge. She landed a quick succession of hits to his leg and thigh. He, in turn, used her momentum to flip her over and kick her legs out from under her. She had been ready for that and gracefully jumped out of the way. Her movements were elegant. The way that she looked was graceful and Shisui was caught in her gaze for a second. She was powerful and he knew it. He tried to throw a punch but was easily outmaneuvered. She said, "I think that your depth perception will need a little bit of work."

He touched the empty socket of his right eye and shook his head. He needed to find a way to overcome this setback. She landed next to him and said, "Kakashi always fought with one of his eyes covered and always overcompensated for it, I know that you will too. How about we work on target practice to begin with. Once we master that, it should be easier to weave this skill to physical fights."

She had a point, and his resolve to help his best friend made him want to work harder at everything that he did.

He saw her pull out plain targets and placed them on the back wall. This was stuff that five-year-old children played with…

"Come on blossom… give me a bit more credit…" He covered his face with both palms as he heard her laugh and say, "Who says I will go easy on you… You get one shot to hit the targets, but you have to deal with me at the same time."

Her challenge called to his competitive nature and he readied himself. Sakura stood in front of the targets and yelled, "Begin!" He rushed at her and she moved from one place to another changing her position and distance with each leap. It distracted him because he couldn't focus on the trajectory of his kunai with her enchanting lithe form dodging his attacks.

Sakura saw her opening and tackled Shisui right before he disappeared from her grasp. She landed on her back as Shisui threw his kunai at the target hitting it straight in the middle. As he looked back he saw the way that her eyes sparkled with energy and she smiled saying, "Wow your body flicker technique is amazing…" he jogged to where she was sitting and helped her up. As she picked up the kunai from the targets he said, "Hey Blossom, did you know who I was when you saved me that night by the river?"

She put away the weapons and walked over to him as she softly shook her head, "No, I didn't… I just saw someone that needed my help and I went based on pure instinct. Even when you said Itachi-san's name I still didn't know who you were. I had to ask him what your name was, and once he told me it all clicked…" She softly gazed at him as he looked down at his hand. "You know that I took out my eye prior to jumping, I wanted to die… I needed to die…"

Sakura placed her hand on his forearm and said, "I know that you did it out of your duty to your village, but the world needs more people like you. Don't ever think that you are not worth fighting for… We will fight for you…. I will fight for you."

He listened to her words and understood that in her heart she had a sense of compassion towards others that might change how he viewed his life. He was no longer a tool to be used, he was someone that had a dream to achieve something greater than himself.

Shisui placed his hand over hers and said, "Thank you." She noticed the intense look of his eye and how he stared at her. She noticed how handsome he truly was, soft black hair that was short and unruly; an eye that was gleaming with mischief and spontaneity; a smile that could make anyone spill their secrets willingly. He was a full Uchiha, but had none of the characteristics that seemed to dominate the clan.

Sakura blinked a couple of times to get herself out of the trance that she was falling in. She wondered why her heart was beating so fast. She had felt a similar feeling when Itachi captured her gaze. Before she could further dwell on her feelings, she looked around the room and said in a rushed tone, "Shisui-san, I think that I need to start dinner, so… you go get cleaned up and… and I will get started on that."

Shisui could tell that she was nervous so he smiled and said, "Ok, but since you are making dinner, allow me to clean up. It's only fair." He grinned at her and she agreed with a half-smile. This man could convince her to do just about anything with just a smile.

As Sakura was making dinner, Shisui walked into the kitchen and started cleaning up as she made dinner. When it was finished, most of the dishes had been washed and put away and it seemed that the time that they had was flashing by. As they ate dinner, they got to know each other better. Shisui opened up to her about his relationship with Itachi and Sakura was able to confide in someone about how she had felt growing up with Sasuke and Naruto.

They talked for almost three hours about everything and anything. With a yawn escaping her lips, Shisui told Sakura that it would be better if they went to bed. At his sudden mention of sleep the young woman looked up and said, "Do you mind staying until I fall asleep again."

He smiled and said, "For you Blossom, I will do anything." He held his hand out for her and said, "Go ahead and get ready for bed, I will be there in a second." She nodded and they both went into their bedrooms to change.

Sakura climbed into bed and Shisui gently knocked at her door. "Come in Shisui-san." He opened the door and walked in. She was already in bed and she looked ready to fall asleep at any moment. Shisui grabbed the chair, once more, and took it next to her bed. He sat in it and said to her, "Goodnight my sweet blossom." She looked at him and said, "I know it's stupid asking you to stay, but I want you to know that I really do appreciate it. Once I go to sleep, please don't wait up. Go get some rest yourself. I know that sleeping in a chair is not the most comfortable thing in the world."

He replied, "Don't you worry about me sweetheart, I am fine just where I am." Honestly, he wanted to crawl in and hold her as she slept, but he knew that Itachi would be coming in a few hours and if he discovered him right there, it wouldn't have mattered all the years of friendship. Itachi would have murdered him in cold blood, either that, or just beaten him to a bloody pulp.

True to his word, Itachi had rushed back to the hideout and the first thing that he did was to check on Sakura.

Itachi's eyes flashed red as he noticed Shisui's chakra flare from his room, but when he opened the door and saw that Shisui was fully dressed and sitting in a chair next to Sakura he deactivated his Sharingan.

Shisui silently made his way across the room and went into the hall with Itachi. The younger Uchiha whispered in a restrained voice, "What are you doing in _my_ room with her?" Shisui grinned and said, "Well wouldn't you like to know…" he chuckled when he saw Itachi's hands ball into fists at his side and then said, "Look Itachi, she asked me to stay…"

Itachi's world stood still, the words reverberating in his head. _'She asked him to stay?'_ Shisui noticed the alarm in his best friend's eyes and said, "Look brother, it's not like that. She had a horrible dream last night and woke up screaming. I wasn't able to use my Sharingan yet, so I wasn't able to place her in a genjutsu to calm her down. It seems that she is trying to work through all of her emotions but she is still traumatized by what she saw. I was never inappropriate with her… ok?"

Hearing his friend's explanation Itachi calmed down and looked back at sleeping form of the woman sleeping in _his_ bed, wearing _his_ shirt. There was something almost possessive about what he saw that he didn't want anyone else, including his best friend, to see.

It even frightened him that he would react in that way to someone that he had just met. Going into someone's mind always had repercussions and it seemed that he knew far too much about her that she would have ever allowed. In a way, he had intruded in her most personal space and he knew that he had to slow it down, lest he lose her with his words and actions.

Shisui put a hand on Itachi's shoulder and said, "Really man, nothing happened. I would never take advantage of her like that… she's special…" Shisui looked at Sakura and Itachi looked at his friend and saw the same face that he probably had whenever he looked at her. This was going to be a challenge, but it was one that he was not going to back out of.

Itachi then said, "Go to bed old man, you need your sleep in your old age." Shisui grinned at Itachi and said, "Yeah, sure thing kid. At least I'm a full-grown man and don't need to grow up like your pathetic teenage butt." They both looked serious for a second before bursting out in a hushed laugh. It was times like these that Itachi was able to forget who he was to others and just be himself. Itachi pushed Shisui into Sasuke's room as he walked in a step behind. Shisui looked at him and said, "I don't care that this is _your_ hideout, I already claimed the bed, so you sleep on the floor."

Itachi swiped the pillow from the bed and then took the blanket off the mattress and went to one of the corners of the room as Shisui protested the theft of his pillow and blanket. Itachi looked back at him with a serious expression and said, "You claimed the bed. You said nothing about the pillow or blanket."

With an exasperated sigh, Shisui gave in and flopped down on the mattress. In less than two minutes he was asleep. Itachi had always said that falling asleep in less than two minutes was a secret talent that Shisui possessed.

As Shisui's slowed even breaths lulled Itachi to sleep, the young Uchiha wondered how much his best friend had bonded with Sakura in the short time that he was away. He wondered how much he had to play catch up, and he wondered if Sakura even saw either of them in that light. As he was closing his eyes to welcome sleep, Sakura screamed out for his younger brother in a gut wrenching scream.

Shisui woke up in a heartbeat and in the next they were both in the adjoining room holding onto Sakura. Itachi grabbed hold of her upper torso and held her close to his chest. His hands were gently supporting her head as Shisui was at her side embracing her from her back and restricting her hands from further hurting herself.

She was inconsolable, yelling… no pleading for his brother's life. She cursed Kaguya for torturing him. She cursed herself for being useless. Shisui murmured in her ear that she wasn't useless and that she was precious to them, that she needed to break free from these visions. He saw that his best friend truly cared for her and overlooked the fact his hands held onto her forearms, just underneath her breasts, to prevent her from moving.

Sakura kept crying for Sasuke, begging him to live, offering everything that she was to any god that would hear her pleas to take her instead of him. Itachi couldn't hold back any longer, his eyes burned with the force of chakra that surged through them. He looked at his best friend who clutched the girl tightly from behind and said, "Hold her still for a second."

Shisui noticed the immediate change in the pattern of Itachi's eyes and yelled, "No Itachi! You don't know what your Mangekyo is capable of doing"

Instantly Itachi realized the truth in his words and his eyes shifted back into the spinning Sharingan. He looked at Sakura and pried her eyes open for a millisecond. That was all it took for her to fall into a powerful genjutsu.

"Sakura… Sakura… Listen to my voice…" Itachi was in a dark place in her mind. There were images of death and despair. People's mangled bodies hung from vines. These were people that Sakura had known, people that she cared for. As he ventured further in her mind, he finally found her clutching his younger brother's body. She was nearing hysterics and he could see why she was being driven to that state. If he hadn't known that this was all in her mind he would have gone into a maddening rage trying to find the person who had taken his brother's life.

"Sasuke… please come back to me… please come back." She repeated over and over. She cried as she said, "I'm so sorry… I want to break the cycle… I want to break the curse… Sasuke come back to me… Please don't leave me again." Itachi approached her and knelt beside her.

She looked at him and then cried once more, "Itachi… I couldn't save… your brother… I am… useless… Why me?... Why not them… I don't… deserve to live."

He took her in his arms and she felt so fragile, nothing like the woman that had fought chakra depletion, to the point of exhaustion, trying to save Shisui's life.

Itachi caressed her hair and kept repeating how important she was, how much she meant to their village, and how much her being there would change the future.

Slowly she stilled and he could rid her thoughts of its visions. Her inner mind had fought him for dominance but finally relinquished its hold on her subconscious. He imagined a calm and serene field surrounded by the forest of the Leaf. He conjured up flowers and the sound of a relaxing stream to soothe her senses.

Sakura sighed as she slept in his arms and when he noticed that she was in a deeper state of sleep he darkened the sky and painted millions of stars to watch over her.

Itachi came out of her mind and back into reality as Shisui stared at him, deep questions in his eye.

The younger Uchiha shook his head and said, "We need to get her to see that Sasuke, at least our Sasuke, is alive. Maybe that will jog her memory into thinking that what she sees in her sleep is all made up."

Shisui continued to caress her arms now that she had relaxed into his chest. He then whispered, "Itachi she has a theory that this is all a cycle that she needs to change so that those things we saw in her memory won't ever happen."

 _'A cycle… maybe she is right. She is changing things in this time as we speak, maybe it's true…_ ' He had a sudden ominous feeling and then looked at Shisui and said, "But if she changes things now… will she, this Sakura in our arms, still exist. The Sakura Haruno of this world is still a child, not even out of the academy…"

Shisui didn't pick up on that train of thought as quickly as Itachi did, but when he did understand, he visibly paled and held her closer to him.

None of this made sense to them and they would have to rely on others to help them figure this out. Her life was now in the balance.

* * *

A/N: A huge thank you to whoever recommended my story to a community. Thank you for all of the reviews/favs/follows each is very precious to me.


	11. Chapter 11 Disarm

Sakura was rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She was not sure what happened last night because she had dreamt of Itachi and Shisui, but she didn't remember exactly what happened or why they had been in her thoughts that morning. As she opened her door, she ran into the toned and solid chest of the now smiling Uchiha heir. "Good morning Sakura-san…" She was startled by the collision but felt at ease when he saw his radiant smile.

"Good morning Itachi-san… How was your trip back from the Leaf?" He thought, _'Does she not remember last night?'_ He smiled at her and replied, "It was uneventful. I secured a meeting with Lord Third and I'm awaiting the date of the summons. As far as anyone knows, I am on a mission with an undetermined time length." She grinned at him and said, "So... that means that you are free to stay with us here?" He winked at her and said, "I am all yours." He started walking down the hall and called out to her, "Hurry or your breakfast will get cold."

She didn't hear him quite right… Itachi had just told her that he had made her breakfast?! She almost ran to catch up with him and saw Shisui already scarfing down his second plate of eggs.

Sakura smiled as he looked up and waved at her. She approached him and then wiped a bit of the yolk that had ran down the side of his mouth. She didn't mean to make it look seductive, but as she licked the creamy gooey substance off her finger, Shisui's, and Itachi's, more intimate regions were flooded with… lust.

Shisui gulped and then nervously looked at Itachi. It's not like Shisui forced her to do that so, Itachi shouldn't have been emanating a murderous aura at his best friend, right?

Itachi cooled his thoughts and then served her breakfast. He decided to not let his hormones get away from him and stayed in the kitchen himself. He was a master at controlling his emotions and reactions, so why was it getting harder to do with this pink haired woman around. Itachi ate his breakfast in silence as Shisui tried to tame his own needs and make small talk with the woman he had been tightly holding on to just a few hours ago.

Breakfast was over, and Itachi was putting up the dishes when Sakura entered the kitchen and bowed her head in appreciation for the breakfast that he had made for her. He smiled and said, "I hope you ate well because all of this morning, and for the better part of the afternoon, we will be training and preparing you to use a chakra infused katana."

There was an excitement in her eyes that she could not hide and she shifted her weight to the balls of her feet to to lean up and look at him as she said, "Do you really mean to train me?"

The Uchiha nodded and then said, "Shisui taught me most of what I know, but infusing my blades with fire is my specialty. Shuriken is what I use most of the time, but my blades can do the same as well. I will show you how to manipulate your chakra to not only extend the blade, as you now do, but to make it virtually a part of you that is fluid and can change at moment's notice."

She was ready for this challenge, she would do whatever she could to become stronger to help her comrades and her friends.

They went to the dojo and Itachi had her sit on the floor. He told her to meditate and relax. Her mind had been too preoccupied with several thoughts that when she finally willed it to be still, she was at a loss on what to do. She felt empty and alone.

She heard Itachi's smooth voice reach her as she meditated, "Sakura you are not alone… you are one with yourself and you can do the impossible." She focused her mind for several minutes and then heard, "You must use the same principles that you used when you infused your hands with chakra to form scalpels in the kodachi. I will place a katana in the hands of your physical body." She felt the weight of the blade between her fingers and in her mind a beautiful sleek black blade materialized before her. The handle was smooth with a black and red grip intricately laced. The blade appeared to be the color of smoke, matte in appearance, but extremely sharp.

Her fingers lightly ran up the blunt edge of the blade as she imagined it's connection to her.

Itachi said, "Good, you are connecting with it, now surge your chakra slowly, feel it reach the end of the blade." She did as he said and felt her chakra pull on its own. "Now Sakura, surge your chakra in full force. Extend it out as far as you can wield it."

Itachi looked on to the young woman who sat in front of him make the blade that he had given her glow with her soft green chakra. He noticed how her chakra fluctuated with each of its surges and when he instructed her to extend her chakra, the whole room lit up.

His eyes lit up with the potential she possessed. He noticed how the blade that was enhanced with chakra take on an ethereal look of smoke on water. It gently swayed with any slight movement. _'interesting, so water is her element as well..'_ He pondered about her chakra nature for a minute.

Itachi instructed her to continue to contract and expand her chakra as she stayed in the meditative state. "You will do this until it becomes second nature and can activate it at a moment's notice." The process was long but Sakura continued to clear her mind and start the process over and over again. It got to a point that she was able to reduce the time that she needed to concentrate to reach maximum strength.

She was not sure how much time had passed, but when she finally opened her eyes she saw Itachi sitting across from her in his own meditative trance. Her joints were slightly stiff from sitting in one position for long hours. She wondered if his form of training would ever take a physical aspect, after all, she was the renown apprentice of Tsunade Senju.

She studied him carefully. He was nothing like the Itachi from her own time had been. The hard lines did not mar his features, he breathed in with ease and had no health problems as of now _. 'Wait… Itachi had suffered from a terminal illness back in my world…'_

Itachi felt her anxiousness peak and with his eyes still closed whispered, "You know if you like what you see so much, you could always… uh.. umm… stay by my side." His smile was disarming and she almost missed what he said.

He opened one eye to see the precious reaction on her face. She had the perfect shade of pink dusk the apples of her cheeks. "I… ummm… I mean… I was not staring!" she tried to cover her embarrassment.

He chuckled at her and said, "What are you thinking about? I hope that you are comfortable enough to trust me."

She suddenly looked serious and said, "Will _you_ trust me?"

He opened both eyes now and replied, "Yes, I do trust you." He looked at her hands that had placed the blade on the floor before her. They were wringing in some unspoken worry that she couldn't hide from him.

He grabbed her hands to steady them, which made her look deep into his eyes. She suddenly said, "In my world you died from a terrible terminal illness. Would you allow me to examine you?"

He thought about what she said, "I feel fine right now. Do you really think that I am ill?"

She replied, "I just couldn't forgive myself if there was something that I knew about and did nothing to stop its progression."

"Will me doing this put your mind at ease?" his reply was laced with concern for her mental state. She looked up, eyes glistening with moisture. It was unbearable for him to see her on the verge of tears, this alone made him agree without reservation.

"Very well, you can examine me to your hearts content." He saw her eyes light up and she said, "Can I start now." He grinned and said, "Anxious, are we?"

She lightly blushed, but then squared her shoulders and said, "Umm… Itachi-san I need for you to remove your shirt and I will examine you with my chakra. Since this will be the first examination it might take a while."

He was going to tease her about wanting to see him undressed, but thought better of it. He felt her charka lightly surge through her fingers and into his chest. It was like a soft caress and it seemed to spark something within each cell of his body.

Sakura surged her chakra throughout his system. She first checked out his cardiovascular system and found no abnormalities. She moved onto his nervous system and the moment she did, Itachi reacted instantly to the chakra intertwining with his own. It was something deeply intimate and felt that this should have been something that he would have liked to experience with her in another context. She noticed the accelerated heart rate and the flushed skin. At first this concerned her, but then she noticed the nervousness that shrouded his eyes and the slight pink blush that enhanced his handsome face.

She smiled and thought that an embarrassed Itachi was more adorable than a playful one. She wondered how many more emotions she could elicit out of him. Her chakra surged through his respiratory system and at first found nothing out of the ordinary. She could have sworn that Itachi had severe respiratory compromise in her own time so, she took her time to conduct an extensive assessment of his lung tissue.

Her chakra began examining the millions of alveoli in his lungs. Each seemed normal until she found a deep cluster that were changing in shape and density. She targeted her chakra to those specific cells and worked to secure the cellular structures to prevent it's spread to the surrounding tissue.

She knew that this would take a vast amount of time so she slowly began to extract her chakra from his body.

He felt the sudden loss of warmth that she had enveloped him in and quickly found that he was longing for her touch, he wondered if this is how Shisui felt about her. She looked at him with a serious expression as he said, "Well did you find anything?"

She took his hand and said in a comforting tone, "Yes… I found some abnormal cells in your lungs. I secured their structure for the time being and placed them in stasis to prevent further production and mutation. I will, however, need to remove them from your body if we hope to prevent any further damage."

He thought about her words as his mind raced to how he could have contracted this illness. Shisui suddenly came to their side, "Is this any cause for alarm, Blossom?"

Shisui had been listening by the door for some time now. He was not apologetic about his eavesdropping, after all, this was about the future of his best friend, about the future leader of the Leaf.

Sakura soberly said, "In my own timeline, Itachi died of a terminal illness at the age of twenty one. From the reports that I read, he was staying alive by aggressive medications that left him weak and almost blind, but more surprisingly from his sheer will to live long enough to atone for his actions and allow Sasuke to battle him." The both Uchiha stood in silence.

"I will need more time to devise a way to remove these cells and help you. Do you know of anytime that you might have been exposed to any caustic agent that could have damaged your lungs at a young age?" She asked hoping to uncover clues as to how he could heal him.

Itachi immediately knew of the only time he had been caught off guard. He was four years old and his father had taken him to the battlefield in which Konaha had fought in the Third Shinobi War. There were many smoke bombs detonated to infect and kill the remaining populace. He had been too young to know how to use chakra to stop any agents from entering his tiny lungs and his father was too preoccupied with showing him the devastation to care. In the eyes of Fugaku, training his young son at such a tender age would only result in a shinobi that would obey without question. Not once did Fugaku consider that this would have the opposite effect on his young son.

Itachi looked at Sakura and said, "It happened when I was 4 years old, at the end of the Third Shinobi War." She gasped at the thought of a child having to see the ravaged landscape of a war-torn nation. Not only was she worried about his lungs, she now worried about his mental state.

He could read the concern in her eyes as he said, "Do not worry… It was many years ago and thanks to that experience my resolve to end wars was ingrained in my heart by each dying breath of the shinobi around me."

This was heavy and Sakura saw that this was something that Itachi was passionate about. Shisui also spoke, "Sakura we all have seen what war does, not only to a village, but to its people. We aim to prevent that kind of bloodshed and sorrow befalling anyone else."

The resolve in each of their faces created an unspoken, yet unbreakable bond that would tie the three in their mission to save the Shinobi world.

Shisui walked out of the dojo heading to the kitchen as Itachi asked Sakura to stay behind. She waited for him and he picked up the katana that lay on the floor. He put it back in the black sheath that had covered it and then handed it to her.

She looked at the blade that was being offered and then at him. "I cannot accept this Itachi-san… this blade is exquisite… It's too much. Plus you already gave me the one from the ANBU outpost."

Itachi closed the small gap of space that separated her from him and said, "That sword is for when we physically train. I want you to have this one for your own… I will carry its twin." She remembered the blades that were in the trunk in his bedroom and said, "But…"

He placed a single finger on her lips and although his thoughts were leading him elsewhere, he replied, "I want you to carry it, as I carry the other sword. It will make me feel at ease that you and I share this one bond."

She didn't know what to say. She took the blade with both hands and stepped back as she took the sheath off to properly inspect the blade. It was more magnificent than what she had seen in her meditative state. It was a beautiful sword. He took out the twin blade and showed her his. They had an inscription on the actual blade next to the hilt. His said, _'In Darkness you stay…'_ Hers said, _'To help other's shine in the light.'_

She was speechless and he said, "Lord Third gifted me these swords when I joined ANBU… he told me not to forget who I was and why I did things."

She knew that ANBU was one of the most merciless regiments that the Leaf had. They were unfortunately still needed in this world, and she realized why he wanted to rid the world of war. His heart was not made for this.

He looked at her as he ran his hand on the side of her cheek as he said, "Please be the light that disarms me when I am in the dark."

She could only nod as he came in closer to her. She closed her eyes when he was but a breath away and then felt his lips touch her forehead in a soft kiss.

She melted into his arms… this definitely was not the Itachi that she had known before. The man before her showed her that he wanted her, he was open in his intentions and was not afraid of her. If she was honest with herself, she longed for this kind of attention as much as it scared her. Was she ready to take this step forward and move on from her past?

She had loved Sasuke for far too long, but since before the war began, when Sasuke had defected and had begun to commit his own crimes in his thirst for revenge, did her heart begin to change and the love was not the same.

Yes, she had feared for his safety, but she had always felt the need to protect all of her teammates. The long journey to bring him home had taken a toll on her. Her heart no longer was as forgiving as it had once been. He had hurt her, lied to her, tried to kill her, and ultimately still found a way to make it all about his own pain. Never did he think about what he had left when he defected from Konoha.

Not once did Sasuke worry about her wellbeing. Naruto, Tsunade, and Kakashi were there to pick up the pieces. Naruto's energy gave her the spark to wake up and put a smile on her face. Tsunade gave her the drive to push forward and pursue her career in medical ninjutsu.

Kakashi was the one that had been there to catch her every time she fell, both out on the field and when she was emotionally spent. He was there each time she needed help, each time she just needed to vent, to spar, to wreak havoc on a training ground, Kakashi had been there. Even though he had no idea what to do when she cried, he was a good listener and always knew how to distract her. He taught her what she needed to form her ninja way as a genin, and then had Tsunade finish polishing her skills as a medic nin. As she advanced the ranks, he was able to treat her as the formidable woman that she was.

When all was said and done, Sakura knew deep in her heart that she was no longer in love with Sasuke, and she hadn't been since the day that she knocked on Kakashi's door asking to train with him.

This was it, her heart knew it. She would move forward and take this step. In her mind, she was ready for whatever life, and love, threw at her.

Her eyes were shinning and Itachi loved the way they danced with an unspoken wonder of what was to come.


	12. Chapter 12 Follow You

Sakura gently touched her forehead where Itachi had just placed a tender kiss and her blush was evident in her face. Her inner mind did a somersault at the possibility of moving forward and establishing a relationship with someone that did not hurt her with each word or action.

Itachi had a steady gaze on her features and didn't want to push her too far. He was scared that her devotion to his brother was still as he had seen in her mind. He wanted to change that. For some reason Itachi was jealous of the Sasuke from her memories. How could his foolish brother not see the devotion and selflessness that she showed him.

He smiled at her as the blush darkened as their eyes met. She seemed to regain some ability to formulate words and said, "Itachi-san…"

"Please… just Itachi… Say it… say my name Sa-ku-ra…" he leaned closer. Her jade eyes sparkled and tested out his name, "Itachi…" He loved the way that his name rolled off her lips and swore that one day he would hear her call to him with a different emotion laced into his name.

She was embarrassed, but continued, "Itachi… I feel that you already know about my past and I hardly know anything about you."

He knew where this was going and he stopped her before she could shut down his advances, "Sakura, all you need is ask, there is nothing that I will keep hidden from you. I have seen your mind that you willingly opened up to me. I understand what you are asking me so give me the opportunity for you to get to know me."

She nodded and he took her hand to place a kiss on the backside of it. It was a tender gesture and Sakura decided that she quiet liked the attention that he gave her. At that moment Shisui came back in the dojo to tell them that the food was ready for dinner.

His eye saw the way that Itachi's lips kissed the back of her hand and he thought, _'You damn weasel… you have not seen me at my best brother... Time to kick it up a notch.'_

Shisui could not really explain what he felt towards Sakura but he knew that it was different than what he had ever felt towards any other female. She drove him to fumble in his words and for the last two nights, she was all that he saw at night.

Somehow Shisui knew that Sakura had connected with him in a way that Itachi never could. Deep inside he felt that this was right and it was wrong all at the same time so, he gave his best friend a challenging look and Itachi was quick to take him up on it.

Sakura didn't notice the silent exchange as she removed herself from Itachi and said that she would take a bath before going to eat. Shisui stepped back to allow her room to pass through the door and the two friends were now facing each other.

The tension was thick but Shisui said, "Just know that she is important to me too. You showed me far too much of her memories for me not to get attached."

Itachi knew that this was going to someday pose a problem so he said, "We should let her decide, you are my brother, you know that I love you and would lay down my life for you… but something in her made me change as well. I do care for her."

Shisui did not want this to tear their bond, so he said, "Brother, we will let _her_ decide and be happy for who she chooses. This is her decision, in the end she might not want anything to do with either of us, so why fight amongst ourselves."

Itachi gave him a half smile and said, "I know Shisui, I know… I will not let go as easily though."

Shisui laughed and said, "And you think that I will give her up without trying my best. Look kid, you are young and I feel that as your Senpai, I should give you fair warning. I think I could get married, settle down with her, and start a family."

Itachi walked up to his best friend and was not entirely sure if Shisui's humorous tone was serious or not, so he pushed him with the palm of his hand square in the face and said, "Look old man, you must be senile or something because SHE is the one that decides who she settles down with. Let's go get dinner prepared she won't be long in the bath."

When Sakura entered the kitchen Itachi and Shisui had finished preparing a very simple meal, but she appreciated it all the same. They took the plates out to the table and sat down. Itachi sat on one side of the table and Shisui opposite from him. In their eyes, this was the first challenge, who would she sit next to during dinner. Yeah it was childish, but the two best friends had held many challenges throughout the years and although they never said who was in the lead, they always kept score in their own heads.

Sakura surprised them both by sitting on the edge between them, Itachi on her left and Shisui on her right. Itachi smiled at his best friend as they both seemed to notice what she had done and called it a draw for now. Sakura continued to eat and said, that she would clean up while they got ready for bed. After an hour of speaking about each of their likes and dislikes they finished their meal and Sakura stacked their plates signaling them to go get cleaned up. She could see the two Uchiha males bickering down the hall, one slightly pushing the other to get to the bath first.

She smiled at their interactions and thought about how life would be different for Naruto and Sasuke if she was able to stop the things that happened in her past. She wondered if they would have that same carefree relationship from the get go. Her thoughts kept her busy and as she finished putting away the last dish, she felt Shisui come up behind her. He smelled of a clean and refreshing scent that must have been the scent of his soap. His hair was damp and she could feel some drops of water fall on her shoulder as he leaned forward and said, "My Blossom, tomorrow I have you all to myself…" She turned around eyes wide with surprise. He smiled and said, "I will begin your training outside and get a feel for where you stand in Shurikenjutsu and Kenjutsu. We will base the rest of your training from there." She smiled and said, "Thank you Shisui-san…" His smiled dimmed and he was slightly upset at the use of the 'san' after his name so he said, "Blossom… let's not joke around anymore… I want you to call me by my name and only my name, without the use of any honorifics."

She slowly said, "Shisui…" "Again…" He commanded. His eye willing her to do as he wished. "Shisui…" she repeated. His voice dropped as he came in a bit closer to the side of her face almost to the edge of her ear, his husky voice laced with want commanded her once more, "Again…" Her voice came out almost breathless as she whispered "Shisui…" She could almost feel the smirk on his face as he hovered over her jawline. He muttered just loud enough for her to hear, "That's my girl…" Shisui then took both of her hands and kissed her fingertips and said, "These hands saved my life. Like I said before… my life is yours Sakura. I will follow you to hell and back."

She blushed at the sound of her name, she had gotten used to the name Blossom that when he said her name in that deep rich voice, it sent a shiver down her spine. He pulled back a strand of her hair behind her ear and said, "I love the color of your hair…" She smiled and he suddenly kissed her on her cheek. She was startled and heard him say, "This is just the beginning my flower…"

She looked down and said, "Will this make things awkward between the three of us?" He loved how sharp she was and how nothing got past her. He sighed and said, "Itachi and I will be fine. We are closer than brother's… but we are aware of each other's intentions towards you." He cupped her chin as he said, "The question is… will it bother you?"

His gaze was deep and enchanting that she blurted out the first thing that she thought of, "I have never had any experience with… well, any of this. I don't know what to do, or what to think."

He kissed her temple and brought her into the protective arms that had held her throughout the night until she succumbed to deep sleep the night before.

His embrace felt reassuring and she was comfortable in his arms. The comfort and safety that he provided was something that reminded her of home.

Shisui placed his chin atop her head and sighed as he replied, "Oh… my Blossom… you are in for the ride of your life. I can assure you that you don't have to think about anything at all, all you need to do is feel and listen to what your heart is telling you to do. Don't worry beautiful, I'm a patient man… I will show you how you deserve to be treated, just you wait and see."

She had never heard any man talk to her like this before. The past remarks about her being ugly, monstrous, and even annoying faded away as the seconds ticked by in the arms of Shisui Uchiha.

Her head was still resting on his shoulder when she mumbled "Shisui…" He teased her and said, "I can't hear you Blossom, say it louder…" Sakura looked up and said, "Shisui… where you and Itachi with me last night? I can't seem to shake the feeling that you were both there when I had a nightmare and then… nothing. I don't remember anything else."

He noticed that Itachi's name no longer held the 'san' as well, but he would dwell on that later. Shisui looked at her and said, "Itachi came in as you were having a nightmare. He placed you in a genjutsu and I held you down while you calmed down. I didn't want you to hurt yourself."

She looked down and said, "I know that I have a lot of things to work through, but I don't want to continue to rely on genjutsu to be able to sleep. I am surprised that I didn't break from it sooner. My inner mind seems to have a knack for identifying and disabling genjutsu."

He thought about it for a second and then said, "I agree with you, I don't want Itachi to constantly place you under _his_ genjutsu, night after night." She got the double meaning and slightly punched him in his arm breaking free from his grip, "Shisui! Behave!" She laughed and said, "I'm serious, how am I going to sleep on my own without anyone's help?"

Itachi came in through the door seeming to have heard the last bit of conversation that she shared with Shisui. Itahchi was freshly bathed and in a light grey shirt and sweat pants as he came up next to her and answered her, "I guess we might have Shisui here try to use his Mangekyo on you and influence your mind into forgetting that trauma… but I know that you would refuse such manipulation." She looked at Shisui and said, "You can do that?!" He nodded, shrugged, and said, "But, I swear I have never used that on you or anyone that wasn't my intended target. This 'gift' of mine is more of a curse than anything… That is why I took my eye out. If I were to die… there is no one, other than Itachi, that I would trust with it."

She looked back at Itachi and he nodded in agreement as he replied, "Shisui is the only other person who I trust implicitly. Although, that list seems to be getting longer as of recent." He brushed his shoulder against hers and Shisui retorted, "Hey kid, hands off." Itachi glared at him and said, "Old man, my hands were not on her, it was my shoulder. I think that your old age is catching up to you."

They both began bickering as Sakura stood between them. She knew that they were also playing around and not seriously insulting each other but she didn't want to be in the middle of any fight between shinobi, friendly or not. She placed one hand on each of their chests and then with some chakra infused strength she lightly flexed and pushed both men three feet away from each other saying, "You two! Calm down!"

Her action stunned them and Shisui was the first to speak up, "Wow, Sakura that was amazing! Now I really can't wait for our training tomorrow!" Itachi laughed and went up to Shisui and clasped his arm on his shoulder. He was still laughing as he said, "You better believe that SHE will be the one calling the shots soon enough, we have no chance whatsoever." Shisui remembered their previous conversation of her choosing who she would settle with and said, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Sakura looked on as the two friends still laughed and joked around each other even though, they had both previously confessed their intentions to her. She smiled at the deep bond that they shared and with a silent prayer in her heart she wished to bring them each the happiness that they deserved.

She tried to suppress a yawn, but it was not missed by either of the men in front of her. They immediately stopped their joking around and led her to her room. She paused at the door and said, "Will you guys come in to help me if I start having nightmares?"

They both answered immediately, "Yes." "Without hesitation."

She smiled and then walked up to them and gave each a kiss on their cheek as she whispered her thanks.

She looked back at them as she opened her door and the Uchiha emblem on the shirt that she was wearing made them each think about how well she looked in their clan's colors. Itachi mumbled a good night, and Shisui blew her a kiss as she blushed.

She closed the door behind her and placed her back on it just to hear them start arguing once more. "What the hell was that Shisui? Why are you blowing kisses at her?" Itachi tried to hush his words as best he could. Shisui responded, "Well at least I'm not giving her puppy dog eyes?" She heard Shisui laugh as Itachi replied with a bit more strain in his voice, "I do NOT have puppy dog eyes!"

Their voices became faint as they closed the door in their room and Sakura was left in her room alone to think about what had happened in what seemed the couple of hours. She admitted that she appreciated the attention that the two were giving her and that she liked that they spoke to her as if they knew her since childhood. She got to know more with each conversation and with each meal a bit more of their true persona came to light.

She now knew that Itachi was not the regal and put together shinobi that he appeared to be in front of others, he had many reservations and trusted few individuals. His convictions were iron clad and his loyalty knew no bounds. Itachi was however, not someone that blindly obeyed, he analyzed and calculated his words and actions. She also gathered that his intellect was far superior to that of even Shikamaru. She had always wondered if anyone could have ever bested the Nara prodigy, and she had her answer a few feet away. She admired his vast knowledge and varied interests. Naruto was too energetic to ever sit down and pick up a book if he didn't have to, and Kakashi always had his nose in those Icha Icha stories. She had to admit that Itachi's conversations were never dull and always had her wondering about so much more, leaving her with a thirst for knowledge. He mentally stimulated her in a way that no one else had.

Shisui, on the other hand, had a charisma that radiated off him. He always seemed to put her at ease and seemed so out of place when he didn't have a smile on his face. His carefree smile disarmed her. He was very comfortable in his own skin and had no reservations with close human contact. It's as if he craved for it. Every time that she was in a room with Shisui he seemed to always have his hands on her, either playing with her hair, rubbing the back of her hand with his thumb, or coming up behind her to whisper in her ear. She did notice that when he commanded her to say his name, she was instantly excited, each fiber of her being waiting for his next command. This contrasted immensely from his sweet and caring nature. She wondered if his dominating side was left for his most intimate moments. At that thought, she felt the heat rise in her face and… in other parts of her body as well, but decided to breath out slowly and think of something else.

Sakura made her way to the bed and took the little crow that was at the bedside and tucked it in her arm, close to her heart. She fell asleep after a few moments and as she fell into a deeper sleep she clutched the stuffed animal closer until she sighed in content and breathed out Itachi's name in her sleep.

In the next room, the Uchiha heir lay on his pillow and blanket smiling at the thought that Sakura, _his_ Sakura, was asleep in his bed, with something that he had once made to soothe his baby brother, and now was fulfilling its mission once more to watch over the sleep of someone that he cared about. She was the woman that made his heart fill with emotions and desires and he would be damned if he didn't protect her at all costs.


	13. Chapter 13 Promise Me

She woke up the following morning without any thoughts of nightmares or of visions of death. She wondered what happened and if Shisui and Itachi had come to her aid again in the middle of the night. She felt rested and hadn't really disturbed the blankets so she must have really fallen asleep deeply and not moved or thrashed around as the past couple of nights. She looked down at the stuffed little crow in her arms and gave it a quick kiss on its head thanking him for keeping the bad dreams away.

She hadn't slept with a stuffed animal since she was six years old but felt better this morning and decided that the little bird would have to be a fixture in her nightly routine from now on.

Sakura could feel two chakra signatures right outside her door, they seemed anxious but didn't knock. She lazily stretched out her arms and then got off the bed. Her shirt had ridden up in her sleep so she tugged it down as she opened the door. Her shoulder was exposed a bit and both Uchiha men welcomed the sight of her creamy skin.

She said, "Good morning you two." They smiled and Shisui said, his voice laced with concern, "How… How did you sleep my blossom? We didn't hear you scream and thought…" She understood his concern and replied, "I actually slept really well, I feel really rested." She smiled at both but kept her eyes on Itachi. He had scanned the room behind her and noticed the small stuffed crow still on the pillow where her head had just been. A small smirk adorned his features as he knew why she had slept so well. Sakura guessed that he had something to do with it but thought that if he had made this for his baby brother it would be something that would never have caused him any harm, so she let it go for now.

She looked at both men and said, "I will make breakfast for you guys today. You guys have been taking care of me the last few days, it's the least I can do."

She went to change for the day and then headed into the kitchen. After thirty minutes or so, she called out to them. She had prepared a traditional breakfast for them and they stood there waiting for her to sit down and join them.

Shisui tasted her food and thoughts of his mother's cooking brought a smile to his face. It had been so long since she had passed but he always remembered the love that she put in each meal that she made.

Itachi had to admit that her cooking was amazing and actually felt bad that they had been feeding her tasteless simple food days prior. He wondered how their life would be if they indeed became a couple, and wed, and had children… _'What the hell are you thinking Itachi, get a hold of yourself. She hasn't even chosen to have a relationship with you!'_ his chastising thoughts were evident on his face and Sakura reached out and placed a hand over his arm as if bringing him back to reality. "Itachi was my food not to your liking." He stared right into her, a bit of rice caught on the side of his mouth. She gently rubbed her thumb across his lip and smiled.

He was still as he felt her thumb on his lip, he wanted to place a kiss on the digit but instead said, "This is amazing. Your food is really tasty, I must apologize for what we had been feeding you prior."

Shisui nodded in agreement, a tear falling from his lone eye. Sakura looked at him and then wiped it away as she said, "Shisui are you ok?" Her eyes held a tender concern and Shisui swallowed his food and then gave her a sudden hug as he said, "I haven't tasted a breakfast like this since my mother passed. You have the same style of cooking…"

She was shocked to hear his admission and gently returned the hug, embracing Shisui and placing her head on his shoulder. Itachi knew how much Shisui had missed his mother, especially after his father died and was left alone in that house of his. Mikoto's cooking was good, but he knew that Shisui could never replace the thougths of coming home to his own mother's home cooked meals.

Itachi didn't even complain as he saw the tender moment that Shisui shared with Sakura. This meant a lot to the older Uchiha and he mentally thanked his best friend for being selfless and allowing him this moment.

After an emotionally filled breakfast, Itachi excused himself and said that he was going to work on the documents that he was going to present to Lord Third and the other people at the meeting. Shisui gave Sakura a knowing look and said, "So that means we get to go outside and train."

Sakura grabbed her gloves from the flak jacket and took the katana that they got in the outpost. She met Shisui at the door of the hideout and said, "Will we be ok out here, I don't want to attract too much attention."

He grinned and said, "I think we are fine, just don't take out any trees or anything and we should be fine." Sakura almost pouted and Shisui wanted to taste those plump lips of hers.

She walked out into the sunlight and said, "Shisui is this too much light for your eye?" He took a step outside and said, "No it doesn't seem to bother me anymore." She smiled, "Good, but if it does start to bother you we need to get you inside so I can examine it again."

He agreed and began setting up random targets around the trees. Once he was finished he said, "Ok, let's start off with some shuriken. Show me what you got."

Sakura took a step forward and closed her eyes. She focused internally and steadied her heart and respirations. She suddenly took off in a sprint and gracefully dodged some traps that he had also set up. She threw her shuriken with ease and they found their targets. She jumped off the side of a tree and with the impulse did a midair somersault and threw her remaining kunai at the targets that were initially hidden from her view.

Shisui thought that even though she didn't have a Kekkei Genkai, she was extremely proficient in this form of fighting. As he looked for her, his eye picked up on a senbon that was flying his way. He immediately covered his face with the target that he had hidden in his hands behind his back and she laughed at the startled face that he had when she jogged back to meet him. She hit all eight of her targets in a matter of seconds.

Nostalgic memories of Itachi spending countless hours perfecting his shurikenjutsu as a young child flooded Shisui's mind and he wondered just how similar Sakura was to his best friend.

He said, "Sakura you are more than proficient in the shurikenjutsu. You are a natural." She waved him off and said, "No, it took years of training. I was smart, and my intellect was what got me through my initial sessions in the academy, but I had to work on my physical skills like no other. Tsunade-shishou would have literally killed me if I didn't learn fast enough."

It still amazed him that she was a student of one of the legendary Sannin. He grabbed her hand and then said, "Let's spar. No genjutsu, but anything else goes." Her eyes were lit with a fire inside and he liked the look on her face. She took out the katana, readied her stance and waited for him to begin. She saw the grin on Shisui's face as he took out his tanto and rushed at her.

Itachi had been working on several documents when he heard a loud crash outside. _'Those two better not destroy this hideout'_ he thought as he shook his head and continued to work. The first and second crash didn't seem to bother him but by the third rumble the inside of the hideout shook and it felt as it were going to be demolished. He raced outside to see Sakura and Shisui going in an all-out spar. Sakura landed a combo attack and then threw a kunai right between the legs of the Uchiha heir. He saw that it had an explosive tag and as he jumped out of the way, she laughed and said, "Itachi, join us in our…" She dodged a fireball attack that Shisui aimed at her, "…spar!" She was high on a tree throwing a barrage of shuriken at Shisui, one catching the edge of his shirt. Itachi leaped up towards the trees with a smile on his face, he thought, _'This is going to be fun.'_

* * *

"Shisui, I need for you to stop moving, I won't be able to heal this bone if you keep squirming!" She reprimanded the older Uchiha that was cradling his arm. Sakura had broken his bone when he tried to come up from behind to get a hold of her in their little battle. He soon regretted it and tried to maintain what little masculine dignity he had left.

Itachi sported a gash from her kunai in his side, and a bruise to his legs. She, had several singed edges of hair that were nearly caught in Itachi's fireball jutsu.

The terrain was scorched and there were holes in the side of trees and fissures in the ground. The trio made a promise that when they sparred they would have to have new rules so they wouldn't destroy the surrounding areas.

Once Sakura finished healing all the wounds on both shinobi, she began to heal her own cuts and bruises. She was concentrating on that when she looked to her side and noticed that Itachi had laid on the grass next to her and had a peaceful look on his face as he gazed up at the sky. Shisui sat next to her, on the opposite side, and handed her a small wildflower that he had picked while she was healing her knee. She accepted it and brought it to her nose as she smelled the soft aroma and smiled at the older Uchiha.

It was a moment that she would remember as the trio sat and relaxed in the afternoon sun. She didn't want to ruin this moment, it was perfect. She laid down next to Itachi and he placed his arm underneath her head as she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep in the warm sunlight. Shisui laid his head on her thigh as he caressed her arm. He was angled sideways and was looking up at her as she held onto Itachi's shirt with her left hand in her sleep. She sighed contently as Shisui took her right hand and brought it to his lips placing a tender kiss on her bruised knuckles. Her deep even breaths seemed to relax the two men that kept watch over her sleeping form.

Itachi and Shisui both knew that this was as far as they would share her and kept a truce between each other, as long as Sakura was the one that initiated contact with them both. Right now, she seemed to be content in her slumber so they decided to let this go between them and concentrated on making her happy.

Sakura woke up as Itachi had begun to run his fingers through her hair gently arousing her from her sleep. She blinked a couple times and then found that Shisui had fallen asleep on her thigh and now had his hands wrapped around it in a possessive hold. She looked down and then at Itachi as he shrugged and said, "Do you want me to get him off?"

She looked back down at the sleeping smiling face of the older Uchiha and she shook her head. She sat up and gently moved the hair from his face as she said, "Shisui… my leg is asleep." "Huh?!" he responded with a sleepy look on his face. "I said that my leg is asleep." She repeated.

He woke up instantly and immediately let go. Sakura tried to stand up, but blood was just returning to her right thigh and she stumbled only to be caught in the arms of Itachi. "Allow me." His voice was smooth and he kissed her temple as he carried her bridal style back into the hideout. Shisui was grumbling about Itachi carrying his blossom but was cut short by Sakura responding, "Well if my leg had been circulating blood, I wouldn't need to be carried, I could have walked myself in!"

Shisui hung his head as he followed the pair back inside.

Once inside Itachi informed them of his progress and that all they were really waiting for was for the Hokage to summon them. Sakura asked, "Itachi, how will we get Shisui inside the village if people believe that he is dead?"

Shisui then grinned and said, "Oh don't worry blossom I have my ways. I just need to know where it is that I need to be and I will be there." She remembered his body flicker technique and knew that he could get inside the village undetected if he wanted too.

Itachi then looked at Shisui and said, "Shisui, we need to decide how we will get Danzo isolated and retrieve your eye from him. It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when he makes his move against the Hokage. My intel tells me that we are getting close to open rebellion from within the clan, we can no longer ignore it."

Shisui responded, "I will take his life myself. He has hurt too many, and ROOT has always been a cause of intel interference with ANBU since the beginning. He has to be stopped."

Sakura remembered her awkward friend Sai. He was a talented artist but had also been deeply affected by his time within ROOT. Sakura spoke up, "The members of ROOT are taken when they are but toddlers and brainwashed into being obedient lackeys for that man. My friend, and teammate, Sai, was part of their organization and it took him forever to try to understand normal human emotion. He was sent to spy on our team because Naruto holds the Kyuubi within him."

Itachi listened carefully as she spoke, "My friend Naruto… He…" Her eyes glistened as she continued, "His parents died the night of the Kyuubi attack. Lord Fourth was his father… He and his wife gave everything up for the village and it cost my friend his entire family. As a result, he grew up ostracized by everyone. Most of the parents wouldn't let us talk to him so he became sad and got into mischief to get the attention of the adults." Shisui was listening intently. He remembered the night of the attack and how many of his friends had perished in its wake.

Sakura continued, "Many think that because he holds in Kurama, the nine tails beast, that he is evil, but he is far from it. He is one of the most generous and loving people I know. He has a way of making friends with people that we would have thought of enemies and making them change their ways with his smile and perseverance. The Kazekage, Gaara, became the youngest Kazekage at the age of fifteen all because Naruto changed his views and way of thinking. Naruto became important, not just to us. but to all of the Shinobi nations as he bonded with prominent shinobi from each village "

Sakura began to cry as her voice cracked, "We were his first friends… Sasuke and me…" Itachi rubbed her shoulder as Shisui got her a handkerchief.

She composed herself as she said, "It is because of Naruto that we were able to bring Sasuke back, why we joined the shinobi nations in our fight against the evil that sought to destroy it. He made everyone see that peace was something that could be achieved and he didn't want anyone to die senseless deaths anymore. I… I believe in him still… and if this is how I help him from having to live a life of sorrow, I will do all that I can in this world to show him the kindness that he searched for in others."

Itachi said, "And we will help you… I swear it." Shisui nodded and realized that the Uchiha were not the only ones seen with hate from the fellow clans… Innocent children such as the child of the Fourth Hokage were also victims of their contemptuous looks.

She looked at both men and said, "Promise me that we will be able to make a difference this time around." Shisui took her hand and said, "I promise that when we succeed in eliminating Danzo, the children and members of ROOT will be taken out of such darkness." Itachi agreed and added, "And, your friends, the jinchuriki, will have better childhoods than the ones of your past."

She hugged each of them and thanked them for their understanding. As she pulled back she said, "You guys go take a bath, I will begin preparing dinner and then we can relax since our little battle this morning sure did tire me out."

They agreed only if Sakura would wait for them to help her make dinner. Shisui told her that he wanted to see how she cooked since it reminded him so much of his mother's style. Sakura couldn't refuse and waited for them to return.

She left all of the things prepared and instructed them to wash the vegetables and cut up the meat while she took a quick shower.

When she came back into the kitchen she noticed that everything was clean, the meat cut, the vegetables diced and in separate bowls as Shisui sat on the counter waiting for her return. She asked him where Itachi had gone and he said, that one of his summons had activated a chakra seal so he was going outside for a bit.

Sakura began cooking and Shisui looked on and occasionally asked some questions as to which spice she used and why she used a specific ingredient over another similar one. They finished making dinner and as they were setting up the table, Itachi returned and said, "It's a letter from the Hokage. We are to meet in two days' time in the Nara Compound." They stood still waiting for Itachi to continue. "We are not to make our presence known. We will come into the village close to the southern gate that is near the Nara Clan's Deer Forest, Shikaku has left an opening for us to come in undetected."

Sakura's eyes became even more focused as she said, "Well this is why I'm here, we will make this work no matter what." Her inner mind shouted with glee at the return of the Sakura that was ready to conquer any obstacle. Shisui smiled at the look of determination on his blossom's face and then looked at Itachi, mentally knowing that he was thinking the same thing, _'This woman is something else…'_ They knew that she would become an even powerful kunoichi and whoever was lucky enough to win her affections would be a very lucky man indeed.

The three shinobi ate their last meal in the hideout and enjoyed each other's company for the last few hours together. They would leave tomorrow morning back home to Konoha.


	14. Chapter 14 It's Time

It was near dusk when they arrived in Konoha. The sounds of the nearby Deer Forest were tranquil and reminded Sakura of when Shikamaru's parents had invited everyone over when he was promoted to Chunin.

As they entered the Nara's lands they followed the map that Shikaku had given them. The sun's rays were almost gone when they reached the main house. Sakura saw a young Shikamaru coolly observe them as they passed by. She had decided to wear a cloak to hide her hair color in fear that someone might think that she had anything to do with the Haruno's of this time and begin to harass them for information.

She smiled at the young Nara prodigy and continued to walk by as she missed his sudden nervousness and light blush upon his young face.

The group was greeted by Shikaku who seemed surprised to see the 'dead' Shisui Uchiha standing before him. _'This will be an interesting meeting tomorrow since the intel that Danzo gave us about Shisui Uchiha's death is wrong.'_ He looked at the group and said, "Uchiha-san, and honored guests, I welcome you to the Nara compound." The group bowed in greeting and respect towards their host.

Shikaku led the group towards some guest rooms. The Nara leader said, "Please, make yourselves at home. We are waiting for Tsunade. Jiraiya found her and are on their way back to the Leaf as we speak. They should get here in a couple of hours. Our meeting will take place in our underground bunker early in the morning."

Sakura bowed and said, "Thank you Nara-san. Your hospitality is much appreciated, your clan's home and surrounding forest is very peaceful." Itachi noticed how well she handled herself around a clan head. She wasn't intimidated by the sway that they held in village affairs, but she was not disrespectful. She had the makings of a great clan matriarch herself.

Shikaku smiled at the young woman and said, "Itachi-san, I believe that I haven't had the pleasure of meeting this young lady." Itachi bowed his head and replied, "My apologies Nara-san, this is Sakura… and she is precisely whom this meeting is about."

Shikaku had been briefed that this meeting was about the safety of the village and it was of utmost secrecy, so his mind began to try to decipher the reason this young woman would be of such importance. Nonetheless, he bowed at her and said, "My apologies Sakura-san, we were given minimal information as to the attendees. If there is anything you need please don't hesitate to ask."

Sakura beamed at him and replied, "Thank you Nara-san, if it wouldn't be too much trouble, I would like permission to take a walk through the deer forest this evening."

Shikaku noticed that it seemed that she knew far more about his property than what a newcomer to the village would have known. He noticed the immediate worried look on the Uchiha males and said, "Our forest is protected and private, as our guest you are welcomed to walk as you please. As long as you stay in the boundaries of our forest, you will be protected and not bothered by anyone else in the village."

Shikaku knew of the twisted ideas that Danzo had in how the Leaf should be operated and defended, and he agreed with none of it. He knew that Danzo was not above spying on its own citizens, so for the defense and privacy of his clan, he had special barriers in place to prevent anyone who wasn't a direct guest of his from entering.

He lead them to adjoining rooms that were separated by traditional shoji doors. Sakura went to change from the traveling clothes and decided to take a stroll through the forest. "Sakura will you allow us to accompany you?" Itachi asked, but she quietly replied, "I know you have a lot to prepare for tomorrow and I really just need to clear my mind. Please don't worry, I know my way around this forest, so I am not afraid."

Itachi still wanted to go with her but decided that she was probably right. This was the first time that any Uchiha had been granted free access of the Nara Clan's lands and he didn't want to overstep his welcome. He smiled at her and said, "All right, enjoy yourself. We will be here when you return."

She kissed his cheek as she took her practice katana and leaped into the trees. Sakura went to a clearing that she remembered had a perfect view of the night's sky. When she arrived the darkness was starting to encompass her village and the star's light was beginning to shine through the clouds. The rays of the moon shone through and lit the field.

As she centered her mind she began meditating and tried to clear her thoughts of all the emotions that returning to Konoha had awakened. She knew this place, yet everything was so new as well. She was seeing her home through a different perspective and the knowledge that she possessed fueled her will and ignited it into an inferno. She was determined more than ever to change things that had caused so many to suffer in her time.

As she meditated in the field, she was so preoccupied with her inner thoughts that she did not pick up on the silent figure with mismatched eyes that kept a close watch on her. He noticed that her chakra had no killing or malicious intent, but he had never seen her in his village before. The ninja that was clad in the darkness that the forest offered watched as this pink haired beauty came out of her meditation and took out a ANBU issued katana and readied her stance. Her movements were smooth and flowed into one another.

She looked like she had her eyes closed and was just practicing the steps to a deadly dance from memory. She was intriguing and he wondered just who the Nara leader had invited to his home. Surely, she must be a guest to be allowed free access of the private forest. He sat on the large branch and continued to watch her as she moved from a practice kata to another.

Sakura was focused on her technique and how her body seemed to accept the length of the sword that she wielded. She tried to focus her chakra into the blade as she had back in the Uchiha hideout. She felt resistance at first. This was not like the blade that Itachi had given her. She didn't feel as connected to it as the black blade that was now hers to use felt. She continued to try to infuse the blade once more and could feel her water nature chakra respond and begin flowing around the blade in a green glow that swayed with each movement.

The way that the woman's chakra flowed into her blade amazed the watchful eye of the shinobi in the trees. His Sharingan activated and he noticed the smooth flow of chakra and anticipated the next movement. He had to meet her and decided to interrupt her practice session.

The shinobi leapt down and using his upmost stealth sneaked up on her but was surprised when she leapt back and opened her eyes to face him. She seemed to have no fear of being ambushed as she had been. There was a confident look in her eyes until they shifted to a realization of something that only she knew about.

"Kakashi…." Was all that she muttered as her eyes went wide with recognition of the famous Copy Ninja.

He didn't seem fazed by it. After all, he was in every bingo book for every major shinobi village. He was feared by many, but fear was not an emotion that he saw on her face. He saw a warmth there that was surely only reserved for someone who was a close friend or comrade.

He responded, "It seems you have me at a disadvantage… you know my name and I don't know yours. May I have the pleasure of knowing who you are?" Sakura noticed the arrogance in his voice _. 'Oh boy… did Kakashi really act like this in his youth?'_ she thought.

Sakura had known Kakashi for many years and she knew that Kakashi valued respect and loyalty, and to him, both had to be earned before he reciprocated. Sure, he wasn't outright rude, but he also didn't take any shit from anyone.

She remembered Itachi's words about getting Kakashi to see this in a logical, and above all honest perspective. If he noticed any type of deceit from her, he would never trust her and their plan to help the village might be harder than they thought originally. Sakura knew that she had to get him on their side from the get go.

Tomorrow's meeting would be filled with a lot of things that might be hard to understand and accept so she took another gamble and said, "My name is Sakura. It is my honor to meet the famous Copy Ninja." She bowed her head slightly but kept her guard up. _This_ Kakashi did not know her and more than likely wouldn't trust her until he was shown proof that she was not lying so, she kept her responses honest and genuine.

Kakashi noticed that she kept her guard up, like any good shinobi would, but still answered honestly to his question. He then asked, "So what brings you here to the Nara clan's private forest?" Sakura responded, "I was just trying to clear my mind and decided to do some practice. I have an audience with Lord Third in the morning."

 _'So, she is part of this secret meeting that I've been summoned to_ ,' he thought. He kept an even expression in his eyes and said, "Do you mind if I join you… it seems that we had the same train of thought about training to clear our minds. I would suppose that if you are a guest of Lord Third and Nara-san, that you are a friend of the Leaf." She nodded and responded, "I am… and it would be nice to have a training partner once more."

He was unaware that her words meant so much more to her as she recalled the many training sessions with the Kakashi of her time.

He asked, "Any rules?" She said, "I do not wish to disturb Nara-san's terrain as he has graciously allowed us access of these tranquil lands…. Taijutsu and weapons only."

He agreed and pulled out his own katana and stood in a fighting stance. Sakura knew that he was testing her and trying to seize her up to determine if she was a danger or not. She readied herself, took a cleansing breath and then took the offensive and ran in his direction.

He blocked her initial swing, but then noticed that she laced a couple of kicks and flips to her combo attack. _'She's good…'_ he thought. He was going to have to take this spar seriously.

Kakashi flipped out of the way and as four kunai flew his way, he had to do a substitution jutsu to avoid being hit. Sakura anticipated his move, she had seen it before and appeared right before him. A heartbeat later, she rolled underneath and swiped at his legs, effectively making him fall. He braced for the landing but rolled out of the way as her katana came close to where his head had been. _'So, she is coming at me with the intent to kill… she was taught well, spar or no spar, any good shinobi has to fight like this at all times.'_

Kakashi continued to charge at her but she seemed to know what he was going to do. _'Does she have a kekkei genkai?'_ He briefly activated his Sharingan and saw that it did not phase her _. 'Has she trained with an Uchiha?'_ He had many thoughts about why she wouldn't fear the Sharingan, but then noticed, _'She knows my style of sparring...'_

Kakashi had to change his style but she seemed to anticipate that as well, it's as if she was reading his thoughts. She grinned at him and he decided to take things further. This was unexpected as he had never had someone else be on par with him in any spar. He formed three clones and tried to surround her. She seemed to know where he had hidden himself and threw a barrage of shuriken which he caught and threw back at her.

It was like she was enjoying this… Kakashi was perplexed. He had managed to get a couple of hits, but so did she. He noticed that they were not chakra enhanced and wondered why. He became a bit more aggressive in his combos and did something that he had never done before. He tackled her down. She had not been expecting that and was pinned underneath him.

He looked at her from up close. _'Wow… she… her eyes are so honest.'_ Kakashi had to admit that her exotic beauty was something that he had never seen before. Her hair was a soft pink that shone silver like his own in the moonlight. Her sea green eyes sparkled and were filled with the same warmth that had greeted him initially.

Sakura squirmed underneath him, she wanted to break free without having to resort to using chakra. She could really injure him if she didn't watch her strength. His hands gripped her wrists tighter and his lone black eye looked at her as if to answer the questions that she knew he must have.

Her squirming was not helping Kakashi as he felt her soft body conform into his with the weight of his own. He asked, "Sakura… who are you… really?" He unconsciously pressed his body further into hers. It was not meant to be sexual, it was just how his body held her down as he leaned down to ask her his question. Sakura felt the very muscular body that was now on her and decided that she didn't want things to get weird any further.

She slightly flexed, broke free from his grip and place her hands on his chest. She was able to throw him off of her as he gracefully jumped and landed on one knee, with one arm steadying his landing on the soft grass. _'What kind of strength was that!?'_

She got up and dusted her backside as she grinned at him and said, "I'm pretty sure that this will be discussed at length in tomorrow's audience, but I am a friend who means no harm to Konoha."

He knew that she had stopped the spar and walked up to her. She had a glowing hand on her wrist as she healed the bruise that was now forming by the grip that he had applied to the soft flesh. He looked at her hands and said, "Are you a medic nin?" She nodded and said, "Please Kakashi-san, allow me to heal your wounds." He waved her off and said, "I don't have any significant wounds… do not worry..." She waited two seconds and said, "I am pretty sure that I broke several of your ribs and you will begin to cough blood up if I don't heal the potential tear in your lung tissue."

Kakashi had just finished processing her words when he was wracked by a coughing fit that made his whole chest ache with an unprecedented amount of pain.

 _'How did she know?!'_ his eye could not hide the surprise as she walked in his direction. She knelt beside him and said, "Please allow me to heal you…"

He nodded once, only because he refused to go to the hospital and knew that this truly was a serious injury. As he felt the warmth of her chakra enter his body, he thought about all the other times that he had been healed by a medic nin. He had never felt this before, not even with Rin… The warmth of her chakra called to his own as he responded. She healed the bones and fixed part of the diaphragm that had been injured and had stimulated his nerve to cough. Luckily, there was no internal bleeding and she was able to soothe any pain that had been caused due to the tissue injury.

Kakashi looked at her steady focused gaze and had several questions about the woman before him. He said, "I imagine that you are staying in Nara-sans home tonight?" She nodded and something caught her attention as she said, "Shush… look over there…"

Kakashi looked to where her eyes were and saw a majestic eight-point Sika Stag. The animal looked at the two shinobi that were before it as it silently stalked their way. Sakura's chakra never wavered and it seemed that the stag was attracted to its glow. She whispered, "Do not move…"

The deer touched the light glowing hands and when it decided that there was no danger, continued on its way.

Sakura let out the breath that she had been holding and said, "If it would have sensed any danger, it would have charged at us." Kakashi asked, "And you know this how?" She smiled and said, "Can you trust me on this… It meant no harm, it was just curious as to who we were, that's all."

She finished healing Kakashi and then retracted her chakra. Kakashi felt a sudden longing for that warmth once more. He had never experienced that. The medic nins on the field usually surged the chakra throughout his system and fixed what they could and then left a sensation of being violated in some form. It was usually very intrusive and that is one of the reasons why he detested going to the hospital most of the time. If he could heal on his own, he usually did. Sakura's chakra however didn't make him feel that way whatsoever. Her chakra was welcoming and left you with a sense of relief from the pain that you had just been in. He felt that if all medic nins healed in this fashion, there would be far more compliance with health treatment in the shinobi ranks.

He bowed his head at her and said, "Thank you Sakura-san." Sakura knew that this was a huge compliment as Kakashi rarely thanked medical personnel. He usually tried to avoid them at all costs and only sought _her_ out to heal his wounds after missions. She smiled at him and his eye widened as he noticed how truly beautiful her face looked when she smiled.

"It's getting late, we should be heading back. Are you staying over at Nara-san's house as well?" He nodded and went to pick up his katana, kunai, and shuriken. She did the same and the pair walked back into the compound in a comfortable silence.

When they arrived at the main house, Itachi was waiting for Sakura on the porch. He saw the two figures approach in the darkness and immediately leapt towards them. He was unsure who was with Sakura but he recognized that spikey white hair anywhere. He called out, "Kakashi-senpai, it's nice to see that you are here… early for once."

Kakashi noticed that Itachi seemed to know the woman that accompanied him and said in casual voice, "I always arrive just in time to where I need to be." Itachi grinned but then looked at Sakura with an emotion that he had never seen in the young Uchiha's face before. Kakashi looked from Sakura back to Itachi, and then back to Sakura… _'These two must be involved somehow… Itachi is smiling… Now this is interesting,'_ the white-haired genius thought.

Sakura turned to Kakashi and said, "Kakashi-san, I wish you a good night. We will see you in the morning." With that Itachi, took her by the hand and led her back into the house. Kakashi stood there dumbfounded that the Uchiha heir had expressed an interest in something besides work and chuckled as he too made his way back into the room that Shikaku had given him. He had a lot of things to ponder before the meeting the next day.


	15. Chapter 15 Believer

Itachi watched as she slept. He had a restless night. His mind had been occupied with many thoughts about his clan, his village, what was going to happen today, and the thought that his senpai had met her and he had not been there to mediated that meeting. He was not sure how Sakura had felt when she recognized Kakashi's younger version, but figured when they both returned to the Nara main house in a comfortable silence, they hadn't spoken about her reason for being here.

Today was the day that was going to change the course of the Leaf and he had prepared for what he was going to submit himself to. No Uchiha in his clans history had summitted themselves to this kind of treatment. The Uchiha clan long held their own suspicions of the Senju and had always felt pushed aside. He, however, did not see his pride as something that should overstep his allegiance to the people of the Leaf.

Itachi saw her sigh in contentment, as if she was having a pleasant dream, and she moved her hand over her eyes and turned her head in his direction. In his eyes, Sakura had been a selfless shinobi that was kindhearted and always willing to help others. She worked hard at everything that she did. It was still evident now, and if her memories served him well, she would always be like this. He was sure that his heart was leading him in the right direction.

The sun began to shine on her face and her eyes began to flutter as she opened them to see the smiling face of Itachi. He smiled back and moved a strand of hair out of her face as he said, "Your gorgeous eyes should never be hidden…" She stretched and then said, "…Yeah but I would never get any sleep…" He wanted to say something along the lines of her not getting much sleep with him at her side, but thought better of it; it was still too soon to tell if he was the one she would choose. He brushed his wayward thoughts aside and said, "Today is the day… I want you to know that I will not have you relive your memories, because if they are to believe us, they need to see it directly from me and what I have also lived through. The sins of my clan… the masked man… Danzo… They need to see it all." She caressed his cheek and he closed his eyes at the sensation. She said, "I will not leave your side. We shall finish this together. We all promised."

Shisui walked in the room and said, "Hey sleepyheads. Nara-san is sending breakfast to our room in preparation to the meeting. So, get up and get ready." He looked at Sakura and how she had just been caressing his best friends face. Although it hurt to see it, the smile that she gave him told him that he still might have a chance. He sat down next to her and said, "Hey Blossom… Did you sleep well?" She rested her head on his shoulder as Itachi got up to go get her breakfast. She yawned and said, "I did… I think I hadn't sleep that well in a long time. I guess being back home has put my heart at ease."

Shisui enjoyed the contact that they had, her touch sparked something in him and he wanted to make sure that it wasn't just lust… She deserved so much more than that. He gently caressed the strands of her hair that fell from her shoulder and in his line of sight. He was deep in thought when Itachi walked in with a tray of food for the three of them. He sat in front of them and said, "Sakura, I believe that Tsunade-sama has arrived and is in one of her legendary tempers…" She looked like she wanted to get up and go see her, but Shisui grabbed her hand and said, "I don't think that's a good idea Blossom. Remember she doesn't know you yet."

She looked back at Shisui and understood his words. She sat back down and said, "I'm sorry. I guess I got too excited." Itachi handed her a bowl of fresh berries and she took it with some quick thanks as she popped a couple in her mouth. Shisui looked over and said, "Hey Blossom, let me have some of that…"

She took one of the berries and hand fed Shisui as Itachi's eyes flashed red for but an instance. Shisui noticed and took the opportunity to give Sakura a quick kiss on her temple as he slung an arm over her shoulder.

Shisui had always been more direct than him, and had always felt more comfortable around other people. The Uchiha heir had been taught to always keep people at a distance and to measure his thoughts, words, and actions. Itachi watched as Sakura's eyes timidly looked up through her lashes at him. It's as if she was gaging his reaction.

Itachi tried to hide his emotions from her, but his eyes said everything that she needed to know. Itachi Uchiha was jealous and Sakura knew it.

They finished breakfast and prepared to go to the underground meeting place. As they excited the rooms they were met by Kakashi who had been standing in the hallway reading a book that he quickly put away before anyone else saw. Shisui noticed and said just enough to have Sakura hear, "Closet pervert." She couldn't contain her laughter and Kakashi looked immediately at Shisui and then at Sakura.

Kakashi knew that Shisui had previously found his stash of Icha Icha books in his ANBU locker one day and had not stopped at the chance of holding it over his head since then. He thought that the Uchiha had said something to the girl with the pink hair that he met yesterday and he was the butt of their joke. _'I'll teach this punk kid some manners'_ he thought.

Kakashi noticed that Shisui walked a bit close to Sakura for it to be a coincidence. He wondered if both Shisui and Itachi were the reason why she was not afraid, or even intimidated by the Sharingan. It made sense that if they had trained together for some time, she would know how to counter or avoid its gaze.

Itachi greeted Kakashi and said, "Good morning Senpai. Are you ready to go?" Kakashi nodded and a few minutes later Shikaku appeared with both Sannins. Lord Hokage, was already in the meeting room with Inoichi Yamanaka and were waiting for their arrival.

The underground meeting room that the Nara's had prepared was at an end of a great corridor that was hidden in the shadows. Itachi figured that if anything would happen, Shikaku could use his clans shadow binding techniques in a blink of an eye.

Tsunade kept looking back at the young girl who had a similar seal on her forehead and wondered who she was. As they entered through the double doors Lord Hokage greeted them and they took their seats. Itachi stood at the front of the room closest to Inoichi who had set up special equipment so they could visualize the mind transfer jutsu.

"I would like to express my sincerest thanks to everyone that is preset here today. I have brought you all together to make you aware of something that has completely changed the way I am moving forward with not only my life, but my own ninja way. I do this out of pure love for my village and once you have seen what I have, I am sure that you will agree." Itachi bowed to those present.

Sarutobi looked on with pride as this young man took the first step in his new life. Itachi was going to become an exceptional leader, willing to put everything on the line for his people, but also willing to put his pride aside for the greater good.

Tsunade and Jiraiya looked at each other and then at the Uchiha that were present. Jiraiya said, "Itachi-kun, thank you for having us here, but how do we play a role in this?" Itachi looked at the older man and said, "With respect, the both of you will play integral parts in the changing of this village. You will become mentors to the future leaders and when you see who we are talking about you will understand why."

There were looks of confusion around the room. Kakashi sat on the other side of Sakura and looked at her as she looked at the people around the room and gave them each a small smile. He wondered, _'Why the hell am I here if Itachi seems to have gathered the strongest shinobi the Leaf has to offer.'_

Itachi walked over to Inoichi and said, "I would like for you to enter into my mind and transmit the memories that I have seen. Can you assure the rest of the people present if you notice any tampering with my mind?" The older man said, "Yes, I will. But you do know that this type of jutsu is what we use in T & I? There will be nothing that you can hide from me and sometimes what I see can be hard for the person to relive through." Itachi looked back at Sakura and said, "I understand."

Inoichi led Itachi to the center of the room where some seals had been placed. He said that he had to strap him into the chair because sometimes the physical body fought for dominance when he entered the mind. Itachi agreed and calmly took a seat, allowing the thick straps to be tied around his hands, arms, waist and legs. He then pulled Itachi's bangs out of the way and with some ink wrote an intricate seal that started on his chest, right above his heart, and went up along his neck to his forehead. Inoichi explained that memories without the context of the emotion that was being held at the time only gave a single perspective, but when the mind and heart was accessed together, a better picture could be seen.

Itachi closed his eyes and prepared himself, as Yamanaka placed each guest in a circle surrounding him. He explained that they needed to maintain contact with Inoichi if they were to 'see and feel' the information that he was about to send. The small group stood around the blond shinobi and placed their hands on his shoulders or his back. Inoichi stood right behind Itachi and said, "I will begin now."

There was a series of hand seals that the Yamanaka did to activate the seals on the floor and on Itachi's body, but once they were glowing the group's collective _'mind'_ was thrust into darkness. Itachi had lost consciousness on the chair and Inoichi was getting a feeling that Itachi had mentally prepared to succumb willingly and not fight the jutsu off.

The group _'saw'_ a young Itachi standing in the ruins of a battle at the end of the Third Shinobi war, they _'felt'_ his resolve to stop the deaths of the shinobi around him and the deep longing for peace that he wanted at such a young age. They saw his dedication that he put into each training and how his only purpose in life was to become a better shinobi to achieve the dreams of the young child scarred by war and death. The unspoken dream that Itachi held in his heart was bared for all to see.

Sarutobi had long known, he had seen it in the willingness that Itachi put forth in everything that he did. The loyalty to the Leaf was evident since the young age of four.

The group saw the unrest that the Uchiha clan was feeling and the way that Itachi felt towards his clansmen. The disgust and sorrow that he felt towards those he loved was evident. He saw how the clan used Itachi as a tool and not as a member of their clan. How Fugaku only saw Itachi as a means to an end and not as a father should see a son. They saw the loyalty that Shisui and Itachi had towards each other and their bond of friendship that was near unbreakable.

They were then shown images of Danzo trying to manipulate the young Uchiha heir, the masked shinobi that had approached Itachi, and how the young shinobi resisted with every fiber of his being. Their vision led them to the cliff were Itachi and Shisui said farewell to each other and how Shisui sacrificed his life for the Leaf. Feelings of deep sorrow and anger that his best friend's life was ended in such a manner were felt around the room.

The next thing they saw was Sakura. They saw through Itachi's eye's how she worked to bring back Shisui. How she saved Shisui and the relief that Itachi felt to have his best friend back.

This was the first time that the older Uchiha saw how much work Sakura had put in to bring him back to life. His mind could feel the desperation in his best friend's actions as he helped his blossom compress his chest. He saw the way that Sakura was fighting off chakra depletion for his sake. It made Shisui's heart swell with the unspoken bond that the three created that night at the edge of the river.

Tsunade recognized the jutsu that was being used, the lines that adorned the young girls face and came forth from the seal, but was surprised to see that another person was able to do what she only could. The Sannin gasped and tried to understand what was going on. That level of medical jutsu was not known to many in any of the Shinobi hidden villages.

Inoichi guided the group through Itachi's mind and then they began to see how Itachi had placed Sakura under his genjutsu. The memories that flooded them were now of what Itachi had seen in Sakura's mind.

All of the information that she had imparted on him was on display for all to see. Sakura could no longer handle this and took her hand off of Inoichi and the flow of memories faded. She stood in the room trying to collect her memories and contain her emotions. She noticed that Shisui held her hand and refused to let her go. He was still trying to give her his support and comfort even as he saw the images of his clan being murdered by his best friend.

Sakura could see the visible shift in stance that Kakashi had next to her and she placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to give him some form of comfort. She knew that it would not be easy for the formidable jonin to see the actions of his once teammate.

When Inoichi removed his hands off of Itachi the members of the meeting were emotionally drained. Tsunade was in tears. Kakashi was in shock. Shisui could only hold onto Sakura and breath into her neck. Her scent calmed his soul.

Itachi was still unconscious and Shikaku asked Inoichi about how much longer it would be before the Uchiha heir would wake up. Inoichi responded, "Soon, he didn't resist me at all… He was prepared for this and did it willingly. There should be no untoward repercussions from this mind interrogation."

Shikaku nodded and placed a hand on the young Uchiha, "My boy… the things that you are willing to do for the sake of your village…"

Sarutobi stood next to Kakashi and tried to get the white haired jonin to react. Kakashi was still, both of his eyes open as the Sharingan spinned, his mind engraving each memory as his own, the pain evident in his masked face.

When Kakashi regained his ability to speak, his first words were to his Hokage, "Lord Third…. How do we stop this… we have to act now… the village… Naruto, his dad, I failed my sensei… How could we stop this from happening?!"

Shikaku noticed that Kakashi was losing his composure and in truth, who could blame him. The Nara leader went to Kakashi and bound him to the shadows. Sakura raced to Kakashi and with glowing hands over his temples, placed him in a deep sleep.

Tsunade stood next to her and said, "Did you just incapacitate the Copy Ninja?" She looked at Tsunade and said, "His mind was being overloaded with information. It is not easy to see what you all saw. What I lived through in my own lifetime was given in a matter of minutes. If I didn't do this we could have seen him go into a mental breakdown." Tsunade gave her a small smile but said nothing. _'So this girl became my student…. She's got a fire in her eyes…'_ Tsunade thought about what she just seen and decided that this young girl had the makings of a greater medic than even herself.

Shikaku placed Kakashi on the ground and said to the group. "Let's regroup in an hour, I think we all need to process this and then talk about how to move forward. This should also give these two a chance to wake up." The Nara leader had a million questions going through his head and wanted to prioritize what was needing to happen.

Shisui watched as Sakura knelt next to Kakashi and moved his hair away from his face. She placed a glowing hand over his forehead and tried to soothe the internal chaos that was Kakashi's mind. He seemed to relax under her touch and Sakura stood up.

She went to do the same with Itachi and then looked at Shisui as he reached out towards her. He brought her in his arms once more and said, "Thank you Sakura… I had no idea of what it took to bring me back…" She felt the intensity of the feelings that he was trying to transmit through his embrace.

The pair walked to a corner of the room and sat on the floor. Sakura once more rested her head on Shisui's shoulder and he took her hand in his. He whispered, "You are the strongest woman I know…" She laughed slightly and said, "Just because I can crush a mountain, doesn't mean anything." He sighed and said, "No Sakura… What I mean is that you are the strongest woman that I know… You are what… I mean… You have endured so much and yet are still willing to help others. That will is something that I admire and respect… there is so much to love about you and you don't see it…" He looked deep into her eyes and saw a twinge of fear flash through them.

"Sakura… Don't fear me, or my words… I just want you to know my intentions… you are someone so worthy of love that I really can't put it into coherent thoughts… Look, Sasuke… he was broken… but that is not the Sasuke we know now. He is still untouched by this hatred… lets fight to keep it that way. To give your friends a second chance." Shisui held her close and he felt her return the embrace with her own resolve forming. "Yes, Shisui, we will fight together… No matter what."

Itachi stirred and came out of his sleep. He noticed that Sakura broke from Shisui's embrace the moment she heard him wake and it gave him a deep satisfaction in his heart that she did care for him. She said, "Itachi, are you ok?" He nodded and she hugged him tightly. He returned her embrace and enjoyed the feeling of having her in his arms.

She whispered, "Thank you for everything that you are doing… I had no idea." It seemed that they had connected once more and since she was able to see his memories, they were now on even footing when it came to knowing each other.

In that moment Kakashi woke up and looked at Sakura saying, "Did you really see Obito?" She nodded and said, "He was the one that sent me here through Kamui and the dimensions that Kaguya opened."

He closed his eyes and said, "How could I have failed you so much?" Sakura stood and walked over to where Kakashi was and placed her hand on his shoulder once more, "He did change in the end… He saved me… and wanted me to help change the future. Will you help me fulfill his request?" Kakashi couldn't forget the look on Obito's eyes as he let Sakura enter this dimension. His eyes had been pleading her to change this dimension, to atone for the sins that his younger self was already committing.

Kakashi looked deep into the green eyes of the girl before him and said, "I promise to do anything that is needed."

Shikaku heard what Kakashi said and replied, "Well that's a good start because starting tomorrow Sakura-san will be living with you." The shock was evident in most of the faces in the group.


	16. Chapter 16 Whatever It Takes

"What!" "I beg your pardon!" "There's no way in hell that I'm letting her stay with that closet pervert" "You can't be serious!" They all exclaimed immediately.

All of the remarks came at Shikaku like a million kunai. He suppressed a chuckle and said, "Look it's the only way that we can keep her here in the village and no one suspect the Uchiha of anything. She cannot possibly stay with you Itachi, you are under surveillance the instant you step foot in your district. Shisui you are dead as far as anyone knows, so you have to stay here in our compound. Tsunade and Jiraiya aren't even in the village anymore, so if they were to stay it would be questioned by Danzo. Kakashi is the only one without direct ties to any clan that can make the story believable and make an impact on the Uzumaki kid."

Sakura understood where he was going with this and said, "So that means that Kakashi would be able to help Naruto before we were even genin?" Sarutobi spoke, "I would lift the ban on Kakashi from interacting with the Fourth's son. I believe that the error was mine to prevent Kakashi from bonding with the child after Minato died." The old man looked at Kakashi and said, "I am sorry, if I knew that this would have affected Minato's son so deeply I would have never banned your interaction with him. I was only trying to protect him from other's that would want to hurt Minato and Kushina's only son."

Shikaku continued, "Yes, and so that you have a reason to be in the village, I am afraid that you would have to make it seem like the both of you are in a relationship. This will, in turn, have the village talking about the both of you that it might bring Obito out of hiding. If he was angered by Kakashi before, this might make him act sooner and we might be able to capture him."

Itachi thought about the implications of Hatake taking on a "relationship" with Sakura and although his heart hurt to say it, he admitted, "He is right, it would throw the rumor mill onto him, leaving the village to dwell in gossip. It would leave an opening for us to make our move. Obito would think that Kakashi was moving on from Rin and himself and leave himself open to make a mistake."

"I can't believe you are agreeing to this!" Shisui almost screamed at him. Itachi looked at him with level eyes and said, "This is not what I would wish, but it makes sense. Sakura wants to get close to Naruto and save him from his misfortunes as well. We need Obito to make a move and we need to focus on stopping our clan from continuing this path of hate. Sakura came here to change things, we cannot take this away from her. This is for her to decide."

Shisui dropped his head into his hands and slightly pulled at his hair. A soft hand with calloused fingers stopped the pulling and instead caressed his locks. She looked at him and said, "It's ok Shisui. I can take care of myself. I have known Kakashi for most of my life. I know what makes him tick. I can take care of myself… or am I not strong enough?"

She used his words against him and he could only smile at the smart young woman before him. She was so adept at making his heart beat faster with a simple smile that he said, "But we have to figure out a way that we can still see each other."

Shikaku said, "You are welcomed into our lands any time you wish. I will have a special seal created for you to pass through he barrier I have set up, as you did when you came in yesterday."

Sakura then looked at Kakashi and said, "What do you think? I will not have any of this pushed onto you if you don't want any part of it." Kakashi thought for a second and said, "No, I need to do this… I have to do this, like Nara-san said… there is no one else."

Inoichi said, "I will have documents ready for you Sakura-san. You will be able to come through the main gates tomorrow with Kakashi as a shinobi from a smaller village. You will say that if things get serious with Kakashi you are looking into making Konohagakure your home." The older Yamanaka smiled at the young girl and continued, "Thank you for being there for Ino after the attacks from the Akatsuki."

Sakura instantly knew what he was talking about and bowed her head at the man. She said, "Ino is my best friend… we all mourned the loss of…" Inoichi put his hand on her shoulder and said, "Say no more, I know what you mean. I saw it in your actions and in the love that you all kept for each other. I couldn't be happier to have my daughter have such good friends. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask."

She bowed once more and then heard Jiraiya say, "I need to go to Amegakure, maybe there is still time for Nagato and Konan…" Jiraiya felt the intense guilt over Yahiko's death and the path that Nagato and Konan had taken. Sarutobi nodded and told him, "Jiraiya, my boy, we will be in contact… We are going to have to stick together to get Danzo out and prevent him from harming the village in the near future, but for now, go to them… I know the feeling of trying to save a student that has been lost to despair."

Orochimaru came to the mind of Sarutobi… He would have to deal with his student in the future but for now he had to deal with the Uchiha clan before anything else.

Tsunade said, "Sensei… how can I help." He looked weathered down and tired from all that he saw. It's as if his true age shown in those moments. He looked at Tsunade and said, "I want you to bond with Sakura…" She looked back at the young girl and Sarutobi said, "No, she has been your student for many years already… I mean Sakura Haruno… the girl from our time. Don't let the poor girl wait until she has gone through so much to seek you out. It would be a shame that this little girl didn't get the chance that this young woman did. You can see for yourself the potential that she holds… if given the right teacher."

He smiled at his old student and Tsunade said, "It shall be done sensei. I for once do not aspire to wear the robes of the Hokage. The Tsunade of her time had to do it because the village needed it, but I think that our village needs someone else entirely." They both looked over to Itachi and agreed. Sarutobi then whispered, "But first we need to take out the only opposition that there will be… Danzo has to pay for what he has been doing in the name of the Leaf."

Sarutobi cleared his throat and all of the shinobi's in the room looked his way. "I believe that what we have here is many possible dangers that are, or could, affect the village. We must work on each situation and prevent what we can. That being said, there are still people's wills to take into account and we have to be prepared for contingencies. Not every plan works out like it's supposed to, as you all know, so, we must rely on each other." He turned to Shikaku and said, "You will be working with Itachi and Shisui to find a resolution to the Uchiha clan problem. I believe that I have something that can sway their views as well, and we must deal with Danzo."

The group waited for their leader to speak once more, "In regard to the Akatsuki, I will send Jiraiya to Ame on a mission. We will move forward after we get reports back from him. Now Kaguya and her strength are monstrous, there were many mitigating factors in her appearance by what we saw. We will try to influence each one individually and hopefully not end up resurrecting the ten tails. Madara is going to become an issue if we don't address the problem with Obito Uchiha. Kakashi and Sakura will work on that as part of their mission. Shisui you will be our trump card. I know of what your eye can do and I will respect your wishes not to share it, but just know that if, and when, we need you we will have you use your eye." Shisui understood what his Hokage was telling him and nodded. The older man continued, "Nara-san, I will leave this mission in your charge with Itachi being the next, if anything goes wrong or if he feels that something else needs to be done, I will leave those decisions to you both. I have some things to set up on my end and people that I must deal with personally."

The group bowed down as the Hokage left the compound and Shikaku said, "You are welcome to stay as long as you need. Inoichi will work on getting Sakura her travel papers and then Kakashi can bring her in as his significant other when you check in. I will make sure that the rosters are cleared for Itachi and Kakashi. Shisui you will work with me in trying to figure out the problems with ROOT. We have a lot to work on and I suggest we get to it immediately. Dismissed."

Tsunade walked up to Sakura and said, "My sweet girl, if you were able to survive my training I can only imagine how much you have worked for this." She tapped the seal on her forehead and said, "I imagine that you can summon Katsuyu?" The pink haired girl nodded and said, "I haven't tried to summon her in this place though." Tsunade said, "Well there's no time like the present, lets renew the contract, or should I say create an initial one in your case."

The pair of women walked outside to summon the giant slug deep in the forest to avoid detection.

As soon as they left, Itachi and Shisui were at Kakashi's side. Itachi was not as tall as the copy ninja but held him in a steely glare that was terrifying and intimidating. Shisui's killing intent was directed at Kakashi and the tension between them rolled off in waves. Shisui spoke first, "If you dare try anything with my blossom, I will murder you in your sleep, you hear that closet pervert!"

Kakashi seemed unaffected by Shisui's threats, ignoring him completely. He stared at the Uchiha heir, trying to figure out what was going on in his mind. "Who is she to you Itachi?" Shisui was fuming mad, but Itachi said in the coldest voice he could muster, "Kakashi, although you are my senpai, I will not tolerate any wrongdoing to Sakura." Itachi and Shisui both activated their Sharingan as Itachi continued, "I will defend her with my life, hurt her and you will wish that Shisui did murder you before I got my hands on you." The threat was said and the killing intent was felt.

Kakashi was perplexed as to how Itachi, and Shisui, had grown so close to this young girl in such a short time. They both seemed to care very deeply towards this woman. The Copy Ninja wanted to say something about them sharing her before he was even thrown in the mix, but decided to play it safe for now. The time of teasing his kohai would have to wait until the bloodlust was gone from both of the Uchiha's eyes.

Kakashi showed him his hand, took his gloves off, and then brought out his father's utility knife. It was the same blade that Sakura had, and he sliced his palm as he put it forth for Itachi to grasp, "I see how important she is to you… both. I swear that I will protect her life as well and will fulfill my mission to save the Leaf."

Itachi gripped the blood covered hand and pulled Kakashi down so that he whispered in his ear, "Take care of her… She is precious to me." A blood pact was made and Itachi would hold him to it without hesitation. Kakashi realized that Itachi had deep feelings for this girl and was kind of shocked at the realization that the once quiet Itachi, was fiercely protecting this girl. The Copy Ninja said, "I will…"

Shikaku and Inoichi saw the whole exchange and the blonde man muttered under his breath, "Oh the joys of being young and in love…" The Nara leader jabbed Inoichi in his side and said, "Yeah just wait till they get married!" They both lightly laughed and began preparing for their daunting task.

That night, Shikaku organized a dinner for everyone that had stayed over, he wanted to see how each person interacted with each other and talk about what they could offer to the mission. He noticed that Itachi and Shisui flanked Sakura at the dinner table as Kakashi sat right in front of her. He couldn't help but laugh as she tried to keep an eye on the white-haired shinobi as he "ate". It seemed to him that every time she would try to catch him without the mask when he took a bite, something interrupted her line of sight.

Shikaku knew how private Kakashi was, but he also knew how damaging this whole situation would be for him, and figured that a medic nin as herself could keep a close eye on the lonely shinobi. In his mind, they would make a good fit for the time being. This would also free Itachi and Shisui from her side and they could concentrate on what needed to be done.

Overall the dinner was peaceful, except when Kakashi muttered something that made Shisui turn red with embarrassment and Sakura blush slightly. It seemed that Kakashi was getting back at something that Shisui had said early in the evening and the look of triumph in Kakashi's only exposed eye was something to laugh at.

They finished their meals and bid their goodnights to their host and to others. Kakashi went to his room. He and Sakura would have to leave sometime in the morning to come in at the busiest time through the main gate. The more people that saw them together was best for their cover story. They knew they had to sell it for their cover to work, and both shinobi approached it in a very professional matter. The Uchiha's however hovered over Kakashi and Shisui kept making some underhanded comments.

Sakura went into her room, changed into her favorite shirt, the same one that she wore back in the hideout, and then knocked on the edge of the shoji door that separated both rooms. Shisui replied, "Come in..." She opened the door and then stepped in the room just as Itachi walked in clad in just a pair of sweat pants. His hair was free from its bindings and he looked ready to pounce on her when he noticed that she was once again in his shirt. She looked at both men and said, "Ummm… I don't know how to ask, but can I stay here tonight… I, umm… don't want to be…" Shisui took her hand and said, "You should never worry about asking us for anything. Come here blossom."

Itachi saw what his sly friend was about to do and before he could think it Itachi's foot kicked both of their futons together so that she could be in the middle instead of just with Shisui. Sakura saw what Itachi did and smiled gently. He was being jealous again and Sakura found it endearing. Shisui however did not. He deadpanned and mouthed, "Really man?!"

Sakura let go of Shisui's hand so that she could move the covers down and could get underneath the blanket. Her back was facing Shisui and he already had his nose in her hair, and a tight grip on her waist. The man had fallen asleep before Sakura had a chance to say goodnight.

Itachi rolled his eyes at Shisui but Sakura gently said, "Come here Itachi." He leaned forward and she gave him a kiss that was not quite on the edge of his lips but also not quite on the cheek. His eyes widened when he realized that she meant to kiss him there, it was intentional and he liked the way that she initiated the contact.

He settled down facing her and she caressed his face and ran her fingers through his long black hair. Itachi remembered the night that she had caressed Shisui's hair in such a manner and of how jealous he had felt. Itachi could not fathom how he would be able to see her with Kakashi, even if it was just for show, and not be able to reach out and touch her.

She continued her ministrations as he ran his finger down her jawline and whispered, "You are an amazing person Sakura… I just wish it could have been my house that you would come home to." Sakura further leaned into his touch as he hovered right over her jaw as she said, "I know…" He kissed her close to her ear, his breath sending shivers down her spine. He noticed how her breath hitched but then realized that Shisui was holding on to her and he refused to have her react to his kisses while another man held her.

With every ounce of restraint that he possessed he looked at her and said, "There will come a time, but not now… not with him being there." Sakura blushed and she said, "I'm sorry… Please stay…" She didn't want him to leave her, but she also knew that Itachi was jealous of the vice grip that Shisui held her in as he slept.

As if on cue, they heard Shisui sigh and cuddle further into her neck as he said, "My blossom…" there was a look of content on his face. Itachi fought his need to punch his best friend in the face and his need to remove Sakura from Shisui's grasp and onto his own side. Sakura looked at him and he kissed her in the same manner that she had kissed him and whispered, "No… you are mine…" Sakura was entranced by his husky voice, of the need laced with each word and hummed at his touch.

Itachi laid down next to her and she wrapped her arms around his waist just like the first night that they spent in the outpost. He remembered how she had wrapped her leg over his thigh and with an action that was selfish on his part, reached down and traced the outline of her thigh until he reached the back of her knee and hooked it over his leg. Sakura felt shivers with every touch and he looked down at her lips as he asked, "Is this ok?" He begged her with a pleading look to say yes, but Sakura could not form any words at the present so she only nodded as her blush deepened.

She had never been in this predicament and she was now unsure if coming over here was a good idea. Her heartbeat increased as she felt Itachi place her hand over his heart and said, "This is yours… Sa…ku…ra." He emphasized each syllable of her name, it was sensual and deeply intimate. She could feel the increased pace of Itachi's heart as he confessed his feelings to her. The inner drive to make her know how he felt was overpowering his control. She closed her eyes and began to try to control her breathing. He did the same.

As she fell asleep, he tucked her chin to his chest and he rested his cheek on the top of her head. Everything would have been perfect if Shisui hadn't been holding on to her so tight, or better yet, at all.

Even though the girl who he wanted more than anything else, laid between his best friend and himself, he couldn't have been more satisfied when she breathed out, "Mine…" and lightly caressed the area right above his heart.


	17. Chapter 17 Keys to the Kingdom

The following morning Sakura woke up when she felt Shisui's hand snake underneath her shirt and roam her abdomen. She noticed that he was flush against her back and he… well… his excitement was evident and she felt every inch. His breath was directly on her neck and it kept sending waves of sensations that she wished to ignore since Itachi would surely get up if she moved any further.

Itachi woke when he felt her tense up as she tried to raise her head off his chest. He pulled back slightly and saw how her eyes showed alarm as she looked down to where Shisui currently had his hands. Sakura saw that Itachi's eyes shifted to a blood red as he noticed that her shirt had ridden up in her sleep and Shisui was flush on her backside that was only covered by some tiny black shorts. His best friend's hands were oh so close to the bottom of her breasts. Itachi's initial thought was, _'He will die…'_

Itachi jostled Sakura out of Shisui's grip and that seemed to wake up the older Uchiha. Shisui yelled, "What the fu…" He instantly saw Itachi's Mangekyo and felt pulled under Tsukuyomi. It was but a tenth of a second but the blood red sky and how his best friend appeared in an attack position around him told him that this was not a dream. "Woah… Itachi what the hell happened?!" Itachi charged at him and said, "You were trying to take advantage of Sakura!" Shisui blocked a kick that was aimed at his head and when Itachi missed, massive vines came out of the ground and pinned him to the black ground underneath.

Shisui was beginning to panic and yelled out, "Itachi get a grip…. I'm sorry… I didn't do this on purpose. I swear brother" At Shisui's pleading cries, Itachi seemed to gather his senses and deactivated his Sharingan.

Sakura was still being half held by Itachi and Shisui. It seemed as time had stood still while they were in Itachi's Tsukuyomi. Shisui immediately let go of her and begged her to forgive him. "Sakura please…. I am so sorry… I didn't mean to do that…." He bowed at her, his head touching the floor.

Sakura was going to touch him but Itachi held her closer. She looked at the Uchiha heir and then at Shisui and said, "Itachi, let go." He looked at her and saw that his actions were worse than Shisui's. He was holding her back, fully taking her will away and Shisui had just held her in his sleep. "I'm sorry as well Sakura, it was not my place to take your decision away in the matter."

She gently placed her hand on Itachi's arm and then the other reached towards Shisui. She said, "I don't ever want to be a wedge in your relationship. I'm the one that is sorry for putting the both of you in this situation. I didn't think it through."

Shisui looked up at her face full of forgiveness and acceptance. He said, "I told you once not to think when it came to the matters of the heart. There is nothing for you to apologize for."

She managed to pull down her shirt and stood up and said, "I think it's best if I go and change. I know that I have to leave in a few so… umm… I'll see you at breakfast." She walked out of their room and went to change and pack her things.

Shisui looked at Itachi and said, "What the hell kind of Tsukuyomi was that? Did you know you could do that? When did you get a Mangekyo?" Itachi looked down at the floor and shook his head slowly, his only reply, "I didn't know I could do that… and it was after you jumped off the cliff…" Shisui softly whispered, "I'm sorry man, we will figure this out."

When Sakura finished changing, she placed the sword that Itachi had given her in the silk wrapping and gently placed it in her bag. She took the bags and placed them at the front door and headed towards the kitchen to help out.

She took out some of the rice omelets that she had helped make and some grilled fish. The rest of the breakfast items were placed in the table as the rest of the guests came walking in. Itachi walked up to her and whispered, "Sakura we both apologize for what happened this morning… please sit with us."

Shisui was at the table looking at her with a pleading look on his handsome face. She smiled and nodded at Itachi who led her to her seat. Itachi rubbed his knee against hers underneath the table and Shisui leaned in close to brush his elbow against her arm. It was endearing to see the caring ways that they both expressed themselves and Sakura admitted that she would miss their constant presences.

Kakashi was the last one to stroll in and managed to sit down right before everyone had finished. This suit him just fine because he usually took two seconds to scarf whatever was in front of him down when no one was looking. When breakfast ended, Inoichi walked in and handed Sakura an envelope with her travel documents. He also suggested that she either color her hair or change it in some way.

There was only one child with pink hair in the village and they didn't want her to attract attention. Shisui protested first and said, "But blossom, your hair is the prettiest color…" She looked down at the box of dye and said, "Shisui, I have to protect my younger self, my family means so much to me. Don't worry it will eventually wash off." She smiled at him and then ran into the shower where she prepped the dye.

She heard a knock at the door and said, "Shisui, I already told you, it's just hair, get over it!"

She opened the door to see Tsunade standing before her. She asked, "May I come in?" Sakura was surprised to see her and said, "Of course Shishou… I mean Tsunade-sama" Tsunade waved her off and said, "It's ok Sakura, you can call whatever you wish… I do not mind. I wanted to talk to you for a bit and give you a hand with this hair color of yours."

Sakura made room for the Sannin to enter the bathroom. Tsunade took a look at the box and said, "I really don't think this is your color at all, but it will make you blend in. First let's coat your hair follicles so the dye doesn't take as long to wash off. Your hair is so light that this color, even though it says that is temporary, will darken it for a long time." Sakura replied, "Thank you..."

"It's no problem sweetie, I just am proud to have been able to see that there is someone out there with the potential that you possess. I see that you have perfect chakra control… you could probably pass off a genjutsu to color your hair but you would have to maintain that all of the time. I'm pretty sure that you have better things to expend your chakra then on your hair." Sakura chuckled, "Yeah, I mean I am constantly sending chakra to the seal and then I do tend to expend a lot of it when I heal people."

Tsunade smiled and said, "Yeah, I see that you learned that medical ninjutsu from me for sure, but there are some techniques that I have never seen before. Did you come up with them on your own?" Sakura replied, "I learned some techniques from each village that I traveled to. Some are from Suna, others from Mist…" Tsunade was at a loss for words, never had she been able to work well with the other nations and be able to gather that kind of information.

She motioned for the young girl to sit down so she could place the dye. When she finished and the dye had set, she washed it off leaving the once pink locks as black as midnight. Her fair skin contrasted with the ebony tresses and her emerald eyes sparkled even more, they were radiant. Tsunade looked down at the girl and said, "For what it's worth, what I saw in Itachi's memories… well I am proud of you and I would be happy if you continued to see me as your teacher. Please… don't be afraid to use my name when they ask you who you learned this from. You earned my respect in your own time, I see no reason for you not to continue to have it."

Sakura stood up and hugged her with the veracity that she wanted to the first time she saw her. She truly missed her teacher. Tsunade whispered to the young woman, "You will do great things my dear… take care of yourself, don't let Kakashi give you any crap. Oh, and those Uchiha boys… I think you have them head over heels for you, but… in the matters of the heart, there can only be one and you know it."

Sakura stayed silent and thought about what Tsunade told her. It was true, there really could only be one in her heart…

She walked out of the bathroom and when she reached the door Shisui was next to her in a blink of an eye. His fingers running through her hair. He gave her a sad smile but kissed the end of her hair and said, "Until I see you again my Blossom…" She smiled at him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. His face warmed and Kakashi stared at the older Uchiha trying not to tease him.

Shisui pushed Kakashi outside and kept a barrage of threats going a mile a minute. Itachi sighed and then walked up to Sakura as he gently held out his hand out for her. She took it without hesitation and smiled at him _. 'Her eyes are even more bright being framed with these dark hair… She is beautiful no matter what…'_

Sakura looked deep into his eyes and said, "Please take care Itachi… I will… I mean… Don't worry about me and stay focused on this mission. We will succeed, I just know it!" Her smile was as radiant as ever. He kissed her on the cheek and whispered, "Until the time comes, know that I am yours… Don't forget me…" As if she could. His haunting eyes full of emotion called to her each night in her dreams. She tried to hide her blush as she walked out into the bright sunlight of the morning sky. She looked back at the men that she cared so much about and waved at them. She put on a bright smile as she walked away, trying to put their, and her, heart at ease.

Kakashi was waiting for her at the edge of the forest. They would need to circle back around and head towards the main gate. As they walked Kakashi said, "I think the black hair reminds me too much of the Uchiha." She was not sure how to respond to that so she ignored his comment. He continued to walk on ahead of her and she jogged a bit to catch up, "You know Kakashi, if we are going to make this work, we need to act like we can at least tolerate each other."

It's not like he didn't tolerate her, he was intrigued by her from the memories that he saw. In some respects, she reminded him of Rin, but then she was still the complete opposite in personality and attitude. He looked back at her and said, "I guess you are right… I mean we are treating this like a mission." She smiled at him and said, "Yup… we will succeed!" He grinned under his mask at her infectious laugh.

"So, I guess that punk Uchiha called you blossom because of your hair, huh?" She remembered that Shisui first saw her hair color and called her blossom and said her hair was pretty. Sakura said, "Yes, he did." Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, which reminded her of how the Kakashi of her time would act when he was nervous.

She smiled at the action and said, "Kakashi, let's get to know each other a bit before we go back home. No one is going to believe us if we don't even know anything about each other. I know a lot about the Kakashi from my time but… I don't know if any of those things hold true now." He agreed with her, the Kakashi from her memories was different from him. In his mind, that Kakashi, seemed lonelier than what he was, he was definitely more wiser and less reckless, but there was a spark that was lost that he now vowed to hold onto.

Kakashi stopped and turned around to see Sakura. He bowed his head and said, "Hello my name is Kakashi Hatake, I am a shinobi of the Leaf. It's nice to meet you."

Sakura didn't mean to laugh but she did and said, "Really… I didn't mean to make it sound like we needed to be that formal with each other. I guess that is a good start though. I am Sakura Haruno, I am also a shinobi of the Leaf. I excel at medical ninjutsu and I am the student of the Sannin Tsunade Senju."

He then said, "Ok, you are right we sound way to formal… How about we have a little spar, that should help us loosen things up."

She grinned and then with a fire in her eyes. She pulled out her gloves and made a fist. She was ready. Kakashi put out his hand and said, "Woah… woah… rules, rules…. we are way too close to Konoha to make a fuss. We will have ANBU here in seconds if we go all out. Just taijutsu, no weapons, no chakra, ok?"

She agreed and readied her stance. Kakashi was the first one to attack. She blocked his kick and moved smoothly out of the way from his fist. She countered by jumping on his shoulders and flipping over his head as she turned in midair and kicked at his head. Kakashi caught her foot and flipped her, but his chin caught the end of her other foot. Kakashi stumbled a bit but then kicked at her, his foot connecting with her arm. She jumped back and then charged once more. He tried to read her movements, but she was jumping from side to side and was kicking up a lot of dust. Her fist connected with the side of his head.

He tried to recover but was a bit dazed by her hit. She swept his feet from under him and then jumped on his abdomen knocking the wind out of him. She then sat on his chest a fist right at his nose and she said, "I win…"

He tried to get her off but was trying to catch his breath. He wheezed out, "Ok… you… win." She got up and held her hand out for him. He took it and got up meeting her gaze. He said, "I can see why you and your Kakashi became training partners…" She thought _, 'My Kakashi… He was never mine to begin with… he… I don't know if he ever felt that way towards anyone.'_ She remembered her final moments with him before going into the dimension with Obito and found that her previous statement was not all that true. He had cared, in his own way, and he had always been there for her.

She said, "Yeah… we worked very well together. So how do you think we did?" Kakashi said in a noncommittal tone, "I guess we did well too. Who's to say… maybe you are better off with me than with the Uchiha." She wasn't sure if he was joking and her stunned face told him so. He leaned down and whispered, "Just kidding Sakura, can't you take a joke?" Her eyebrow twitched and with a chakra enhanced fist, she punched him in the face.

They had circled back around the village and her anger had cooled. He was sullen and knew that he wouldn't cross her again. He refused to have to beg to be healed so he continued on the path. Sakura knew that he could not walk into his village injured like that so, she stopped and said, "Kakashi… Please come here. I need to heal your face."

With a muffled sound he replied, "Nope, you broke my nose. I will heal on my own." _'Damn it, I had forgotten about his stupid prideful side.'_ She said, "Kakashi we can't be seen walking in like this… Please I'm sorry for breaking your nose. Let me heal it." He slowed down and thought about what she said. Kakashi never did things that would purposely put a mission in jeopardy so he slowly walked back to where she was and said, "You happy?" Her hands glowed green and she reached up to him. He was still too tall even if she stood on her tip-toes. He begrudgingly knelt down and he looked up at her. Her face was framed and her eyes caught him in an intense stare. "I'm sorry…" she said. He nodded and said, "It's ok, I asked for it… I'm sorry too."

He looked at her hand and said, "We need to get going…" He quickly took her hand, laced her fingers through his and started walking. She was staring at their joined hands and was about to retort when she heard voices coming from the path ahead of them. There must be people ahead. She was still a bit too shocked by his sudden action when she heard him whisper, "Relax… you're going to make it too obvious."

She tried to control her breathing and relaxed her grip on his hand. Kakashi looked down and said, "Don't freak out ok…" He then rolled his eyes to his left trying to get her to see that there was a group of shinobi that were in the trees. She nodded ever so slightly and they continued to talk.

"Honey, tell me about our new home?" She looked up and asked him with wide eyes. He was almost taken aback but played along. "Well, my village is bigger than where you come from. We have plenty of shops and there is a great tea house that is private and serves the best mochi." She leaned into him and said, "Will you take me there?" He stopped and looked at her and then kissed her on her cheek. It felt weird since he still had his mask on but she could distinctly feel the outline of his lips on her skin. Slowly he brought his head up to his full height and said, "I can't wait to get you home first." She blushed deeply and noticed that the shinobis had stopped to hear their conversation and noted their actions.

Kakashi gently ran a finger up her spine and said, "We have all the time in the world for teashops, I want to have all of you for myself." He felt her shiver. Her reactions were real and he wasn't sure how he felt about that. Maybe she really wasn't experienced in this sort of thing. He would have to ask what she was comfortable with and what she wasn't. She put her hands over her cheeks and said, "Not in front of people darling, it's too embarrassing." He put his arm around her waist and brought her flush against him. He leaned into the crook of her neck and whispered. "I think they are gone, but we still have some merchants up ahead. You are doing fine." There was a sudden noise behind them and he spread out his senses.

Kakashi then said, "Please don't punch me." He then kissed her neck and she let out a startled moan. He had hit a very sensitive spot indeed. In a moment of clarity she closed her eyes and reached out with her senses. She noticed a familiar chakra and when she heard Kakashi's name screamed by none other than Might Gai did she understand why he had just done that.

Kakashi slowly raised his head and said to the man that had just sprinted towards them, "What do you want Gai… Don't you see I was spending some time with someone important."

Gai's eyes were wide with surprise at the flushed face of the young woman that was being held by Kakashi. Sakura was embarrassed and placed her face right next to Kakashi's chest trying to appear like they had been caught in the act.

"Kakashi who is this young lady?" Gai asked. Kakashi placed his hand firmly on her hip as he said, "This young lady has captured the heart that I didn't know I had." He looked down at her and then said, "I hope that we can make this more than what we currently have, maybe something a bit more permanent." She was taken aback by his words and said, "It would make my heart soar if we did." She then looked back at Gai and said, "I'm sorry, where are my manners… My name is Sakura Shirogane."

Gai bowed his head and said, "My name is Gai and I am Kakashi's eternal rival… but I guess he has the upper hand right now..." Kakashi shook his head and said, "Gai, this is not a game. I really am falling for this girl and she is special to me." Gai then had a look of determination and said, "Sakura-san, if my rival here has such strong feelings for you, I will do everything in my power to make sure that your relationship endures!" Kakashi, facepalmed and said, "Gai that's not your job, that's mine!" There was no use in trying to convince the green jumpsuit clad ninja as he walked on ahead announcing to the world that his rival had finally found a suitable girl and had fallen in love.

By the time they reached the gates of Konoha there was a small crowd waiting for them with Gai recounting the precarious position in which he had caught them in. Sakura smiled at Kakashi and he placed his arm over her shoulder in a protective embrace as they approached the check in station.

With all of the gossip that was being spread, it wouldn't take long for their plan to work. Sakura turned in her papers and as she was filling out a form, Kakashi stood behind her and wrapped her up in his arms as he said, "Guys do we really need to do all of this. I want to get this pretty lady home in time for dessert." He winked at them and they started chuckling as Sakura turned red with anger. They must have taken it as embarrassment because when they left the check in post they waved at Kakashi and said, "Have fun Senpai!"

Oh, Sakura would have fun breaking his bones as she held his hand in a crushing grip of her own. They both began thinking that this mission might be harder than they thought.


	18. Chapter 18 Fake You Out

"Please fix my hand." Kakashi begged her as they walked over to his home. "You can go to the Hospital and ask to have some fun there!" She almost hissed at him but then remembered that they were all staring at her and the Copy Ninja walk down the street hand in hand.

She looked up at man who was supposed to be her beloved and in a sweet voice said, "Honey, where is our new home?" He smiled, deep in pain and replied, "It's the next street over my love."

They continued to walk hand in hand and when they got to his door he fished out his key from his pocket and opened the door. He was about to walk in but forgot that they had gathered quiet the crowd trailing behind them. He looked at his dearest companion and picked her up bridal style to cross the threshold. She was taken by surprise and held on to him around his shoulders. He kissed her temple through masked lips and entered his home. Once in the safety of his home, he quickly dropped her and she had to catch herself before she hit the floor.

She shot him a look and said under her breath, "Why you son of…" He placed a finger over her lips and motioned towards the windows. He stepped closer to the window and took a quick peak outside, sure enough there was a small crowd. He closed the curtains and then walked towards were Sakura stood taking off her shoes. He then said, "Ok, so here is the tour… This is the door, that's a sofa, there is some stuff in the kitchen and that door is our bedroom and bath."

"What do you mean 'our' bedroom?" she had both of her fists on her hips and was getting a twitch in her eyebrow. He said, "I mean… our bedroom, which we will share, no complaining." She retorted back, "I can sleep on the couch, I am not going to share a room with a stranger." He looked serious and said, "You did with the Uchiha's, you even told them that you had known 'Kakashi' for years. This shouldn't be a problem for you."

She opened her mouth but was too angry to say anything. Before she could respond he said, "Look, there are people who have a key to my house that come in unannounced. She thought about what he said and figured that he might have female company every once in a while, and she felt like she was intruding. She looked down and said, "Look if you have your relationships, we can be discrete, just tell me when they come and I can leave for a while and come back when you are finished…. I didn't mean to complicate things in your life."

She had misunderstood him and he was realizing where she was going with this. He walked up to her and grasped one of her hands with his uninjured one. He said, "No… you misunderstand, Gai, Genma, and Asuma check on me every now and then. So, what I meant is that you will share my room because I don't want them to come in unannounced and blow our cover." She understood now and nodded her head. He added, "Plus, real or not, no lover of mine would ever sleep anywhere but with me…" He let that sink in and saw the pretty color that her cheeks turned when she blushed.

He ducked out of the way as the shuriken that was aimed at his head landed on his coffee table. He put his hands up in surrender and she saw just how mangled his hand really had been. She stalked right up to him and sat him down on the couch. He feared for his life now and was about to leap out of the window, when he felt the warmth of her chakra as she began to heal his hand.

He looked at how she worked and noticed that she even helped alleviate the pain in his hand. When she finished she noticed how his face, although still covered, could express so many emotions. He looked calm and comfortable. He sat back further into the couch and pulled her into his chest.

He sighed and kept his arm over her shoulder as she said, "Kakashi… what are you doing?" He closed his eyes and held her tighter, "We need to get comfortable with each other… I'm hugging you." She smiled and said, "You can't force this… and anyway, this is how you give someone a hug." She wrapped her arms around his waist and placed her head on his chest. He hesitantly put both of his arms around her and placed his chin on top of her head. She sighed and said, "That's a hug, ok?"

He nodded and he breathed in her scent, he liked it. His mind was also thinking about her soft skin when she said, "Kakashi… umm… we need to go buy some food." His stomach decided to growl at that moment and she laughed. He liked the sound of that she made when she laughed. He then said in a serious tone, "You want to face the mob outside?"

She got up and said, "Well what do you have in the kitchen?" He remembered that he didn't have much of anything since he rarely ate here, so he said, "Ok, let's go get some supplies, will you need anything in specific?" She thought and said, "Well I guess some shampoo, a toothbrush, maybe some clothes… I really don't have much except for some of Itachi's shirts for bed and what I am wearing right now."

He grinned at the thought that the weasel was already claiming her and she didn't even know it. He said, "Well you will wear no such thing in my presence. Either we get you some clothes or you sleep in mine."

She got up and put on her shoes as Kakashi went to go grab some money for his room. He opened the door and the people that were outside suddenly found the street, or the wall, or the sky to be very interesting. He shook his head at them and then grabbed Sakura's hand as she walked out. He closed the door and they headed off to the market area hand in hand.

They first came into a clothing store, since it was the closest, and he thought that they would be in there for hours. Kurenai took Asuma on shopping trips that lasted four hours at times. Sakura, however, flited to the racks that held the items that she needed, she got some training shorts, tops, some undergarments, a modest nightgown that was a deep red color, an apron which she knew that he must not have had, and some toiletries.

He was surprised that she took about 30 min to buy everything. She knew her size what she wanted/needed, and she didn't dawdle on clothes that she would never wear but once. He quite enjoyed that, and didn't mind carrying the two bags with her essentials. There were many looks as the Copy Ninja walked out with bags in hand and a smiling young woman almost skipping next to him as they spoke about trivial things such as what could be on sale at the supermarket.

They walked in the supermarket and he noticed that her eyes roamed the store before she set out on her spree. He noted that she was actually buying produce instead of ready-made meals. His stomach growled once more and he bashfully rubbed the back of his head when she noticed. She picked the freshest items that she could find and then took the items which he gladly paid for. The cashier gave them a weird look as he paid for the items and then carried all of their bags as she candidly told him of all the meals that she would prepare for him. The blush that showed from the top of his mask was not missed by the careful eye of many shinobi in the market.

When they got back to Kakashi's home, they put away all of their purchases and Sakura set out in making an early dinner. She worked in the kitchen humming a tune that played in her head and when he recognized it he smile; it was one of his favorites as well.

He walked back to their room and took a quick shower and then went to the kitchen to help her finish. He wore pants and a black muscle shirt that had his masked attached, but left his arms exposed. She looked at him, did a double take when she noticed the way that his muscles moved as he slightly flexed when he pulled out some plates from the top shelf. Kakashi walked up to the stove and smelled the aroma coming from the food. He said, "Need any help?" She thanked him for the offer to help and said, "Kakashi, as far as I know, you were never able to cook that well. Is that true still?" He nodded but said, "But don't worry, I can be an excellent taste tester."

She laughed at him and then grabbed a clean spoon and dipped it in the pot that was cooking on the stove. She blew on the piping hot liquid and Kakashi walked up to her and leaned down to taste what she offered, but then remembered that he had his mask on. There was a slight crash in the window and Kakashi took the opportunity to quickly remove his mask and take the offered food. By the time that she looked back he had replaced the material and said, "That tasted good!" He loved the way that her face contorted in slight anger as she looked back at the window. She noticed a very young Genma get up from the floor in a graceless manner.

Kakashi went out to the where his friend was and said, "What the hell are you doing?" Genma replied, "I could barely believe it when Gai told me, then I heard rumors of you going shopping with some girl, and… and then… I saw her cooking for you and you being there like a lost puppy staring at her as she cooked."

Kakashi grabbed Genma by the shirt as he walked to the window that he had come in from and said, "I was not staring… I was admiring. Now leave me and my girl alone to have a peaceful meal together. And don't come to my house if you are going to crash like a graceless rhino through my window." He pushed Genma out the window as Sakura stood next to Kakashi. Genma noticed the young woman and said, "Hey… it's nice to meet you." She smiled and waved at him as he landed on his backside, "Nice to meet you too."

Kakashi guided Sakura back to the kitchen after forcefully shutting the window and closing the curtains.

She smiled and said, "That man has never changed…" She looked like she was reminiscing and he asked, "Sakura were we close?" She looked up and said, "Well you were my genin sensei at first. You kinda ignored me because you were dealing with Naruto and Sasuke not killing each other, but as we grew older and I… well I became stronger, I noticed that you saw me more as an equal. I guess that's why I sought you out when I was sad, or when I needed to train. I miss the older you very much." He saw a tear escape her face and he wiped it away.

Kakashi said, "Look, I'm not the man that you know… I have seen too many things and I have no idea what compelled me to become a genin sensei in the future, maybe there is hope for me… but, I'm not there yet. I guess, what I'm trying to say is that we need to start fresh, let's not assume things about each other just because I saw your memories and you have memories of a me that hasn't even come to pass."

She could see the logic in what he said. Maybe this wasn't going to be too bad after all.

They sat in the kitchen that had a small table and two chairs. Sakura had made some rice bowls with vegetables and tofu. She placed one bowl in front of Kakashi and when she turned her back to grab her own, he devoured the bowl. When she returned she noticed the empty bowl and a very satisfied look on his face as he rubbed his stomach and said, "Sakura that was such a good meal, I haven't eaten like that since… Kushina-san would send me food over with Minato sensei."

She had wanted to get mad at him for rushing and scarfing down his food, but then began to realize that this man had some very deep insecurities. He had been left alone in this world by everyone that he knew and it seemed that he only lived in the moment, not wanting to think about what the future held.

She sat down and looked at his empty bowl and said, "Look Kakashi, I get that you don't want me to see your face… and although I will admit I have been curious all my life… I respect your privacy more. Please don't rush when you are eating, I want you to enjoy the food that I make… And, if you choke just because you are shoveling food down your throat, I would have to rip your mask off and try to save your butt." He understood what she said and nodded once.

She sighed and said, "Ok, let's make a deal. I will serve you first while I finish cleaning the pots I used to cook in and you can have time to eat. When I'm done I will come eat while you keep me company and you will help me wash and put away the dishes." She stuck her hand out to him and he looked at it and then back at her. He realized that she was being considerate of his needs, but was also very fair in what she asked for. He took her hand and gave it a firm handshake, "Deal… but since you cooked tonight let me clean up while you put away all of your stuff in our room."

She was not used to the whole _'our room'_ deal, but she had been in plenty of missions with her team in which they shared one room so, what could be different? Sakura took her shopping bags and went into the only bedroom in the house. She opened the door and saw that it was very simple. A bed, a dresser, a small closet. There was a bookcase with many different books stacked in every which way. Each book had been read several times over. She could tell by the worn creases in their spines, which meant that Kakashi read more than he lead other's to think.

Kakashi called out from the kitchen, "Just move some of my stuff over in the dresser, there's not much anyways." She took a step towards the dresser and found out that he was right. One drawer had socks, boxers, and undershirts. The other had workout clothes. The bottom two drawers were empty. She shook her head and placed her things in there. She then walked over to the closet and saw some ANBU armor, a jonin flak jacket with some utility pants. There were boxes of shuriken, and kunai on one end, some blankets on the top shelf, and then at the far back, a set of swords and a tanto that was in front of an old picture of what looked like Kakashi's dad and a toddler version of the man who was washing dishes just a few feet away.

Sakura's fingers traced the edge of the picture frame and then lightly ran over the picture of the young little boy covered by a scarf. It had a feel of a shrine dedicated to Kakashi's father and she remembered how deeply his death had impacted her once sensei. She bowed in respect and when she turned around she saw that Kakashi had been watching her. She gave him a small smile but couldn't read his emotions under the mask. He stepped out of the way to let her pass and then sighed as he closed the door.

Kakashi didn't know what to think when he saw her pay her respects to his father. No one had ever done so, and the fact that she understood how much the man had meant to him, yet didn't hound him about how he was feeling made her go up a couple of more notches on his list. He appreciated her thoughtfulness.

Sakura then said, "So what do we do for the rest of the evening?" He shrugged and said, "What do you want to do?" She said, "I guess we can talk and get to know our interests so we don't look like we are in a fake relationship." He tapped her on her nose and said, "But we are in a fake relationship…" She grinned and said, "Oh Kakashi, you know what I mean. We can't fail in our mission." He smiled under his mask and they walked back into the small living room. Both sat on the couch and they began to talk about their varied interests.

It was hard to get Kakashi to open up, but when she reminded him that his close friends would be able to tell if she knew nothing about him, he would fill her in with small details that only his personal friends knew about him. They started off with their interests in books, then in what they considered to be superior ninja tools. She talked about the arts of poison extraction and recounted their mission to Suna where she saved Kankuro's life and Chiyo-sama taught her many more things. He was fascinated by her stories. Not once in his lifetime had he dared to dream of the possibility of uniting the shinobi villages in friendship. It seemed that Naruto had a lot to do with it.

He said, "Sakura tomorrow we can go and check on Naruto if you would like. But, we need to find a way to approach him without it being too obvious. I hear he is a mischievous little devil." Sakura fondly remembered all of the pranks that her friend used to do and smiled. She agreed and then noticed that they had been talking well into the evening. The sun had set and she was sure that the stars were shining outside.

Kakashi noticed the looks that she was giving the closed window and wondered if she wanted to go outside. He suddenly got a great idea and pulled her up and told her to follow him. He pulled her into the bedroom, but then grabbed a blanket from the closet, opened the window, and jumped to the branch sitting right outside. He reached over to her and she took his hand as she stepped outside.

He led her to the roof of his house and he laid the blanket on the roof so that they could lay down and look at the stars. She stood on the roof and admired the view of her village and the lights that made it shine in the vast darkness.

Kakashi was already laying down when she sat next to him and made herself comfortable. She looked up at the sky and forgot that she was in another time. The sky and its infinite stars were a constant that made her feel better. He sneaked glances at the young woman beside him and said, "Are you homesick?"

She thought about it and said, "Well it feels weird, because this is my home, the home of my past, of my childhood and I feel like a part of me belongs here, but there is a part of me that is gone and is longing to get back."

She closed her eyes, she didn't want to get too deep so she asked, "Do you still wake up at 4am to train?" He looked kinda surprised and nodded. She smiled and said, "Everyone would always think you were late at everything, but I knew that you just had so much to do, so I remembered that you started your day really early. How about I join you for training tomorrow?"

He nodded and said, "It would be nice to have a training partner." They stayed there for a few more minutes but then noticed the chill of the night air was making Sakura shiver. He sat up and said, "We should go inside." She nodded and then climbed back down herself. As he was picking up and folding the blanket he noticed two shinobi watching him from the rooftops across his street. He waved at them and said, "Good night you two…"

Kakashi caught the red glint in their eyes and as quickly as they had been there, they vanished without a trace. _'Those two will never learn…'_ he chuckled and went back inside.

Sakura was already in the bathroom getting ready for bed and he pulled back the covers on his bed. She came out in that nightgown that went down to her knees and covered her shoulders. He told her to get into bed and then covered her with the sheet. After she was tucked in, he climbed in next to her but lay on top of the sheet and then covered them both with the blanket. If anyone would look through the window it would look like they were blissfully sleeping together, but would not see the light sheet separating the two.

Sakura looked at him and said, "Thank you Kakashi…" He understood what she meant and whispered, "Don't mention it."

They both fell asleep a few minutes later, Sakura facing the window, and Kakashi sleeping on his back with his hand covering his still masked face.

Itachi was trying to be as stealthily as he could and had to avoid many shinobi's that were now curious of Kakashi and his new 'girlfriend', but he managed to get close to the window and peek at the sleeping face of _his_ Sakura.

All the years of training couldn't prepare him for the control that he had to exercise when he heard Sakura say his own name in her sleep. She was dreaming of him, not the man next to her and not his best friend. Hearing Sakura say his name made his heart beat faster and his determination to make her his fiercer. He felt that this mission was going to test not only his patience and control, but also the true feelings that he had begun to have for this woman.


	19. Chapter 19 Somebody Told Me

Kakashi had been awake for the last half hour or so thinking about many things. He looked over to his left and saw the sleeping woman. Sakura had stayed on her side of the bed and Kakashi had inched his way closer but not directly touching her. He looked at her sleeping form and since he could not see her face directly, he realized that he didn't care too much for the black hair that she now sported. It was a dull color, nothing like the light pink that she had, that fit her unique person.

Sakura began to stretch and Kakashi closed his eyes and pretended to sleep. He wanted to see if she would take advantage of his sleep and try to see what was under his mask. He felt her stretch again and she moved the blankets trying not to wake him as she got up from the bed. He felt her come to his side of the bed and was ready to catch her hand if she got too close to him. Kakashi then felt the blanket brought up close to his chin as she covered him up further and she stepped out of the room and headed into the kitchen.

 _'She didn't try to see my face?'_ he wondered about this girl and continued to hear her moving about his kitchen. A few minutes later the gentle smell of food flooded his senses. Kakashi walked in the kitchen and startled the young woman because she was busy making some bento's for both of them.

"Kyah!" she exclaimed as he brushed up against her and looked over her shoulder. She had been placing some rice in a container when he whispered, "Good morning Sakura."

She swirled around and said, "You scared me!" He joked, "Now what kind of shinobi gets spooked… could it be that you had your guard down around me?" She didn't want to respond and muttered under her breath, "We'll see who gets spooked."

She packed up the bento's and went to go grab her sword. She was not going to be playing around in training.

They walked to the training grounds and she said, "Can we go to the farthest training grounds. I don't want to attract too much attention." He simply nodded and continued to walk in the dark early hours.

When they arrived at their destination Sakura reached into the bag and took out the sword. Kakashi took one look at it and said, "Why did Itachi give you that?" She looked at the blade and said, "Because he holds the other half of the set. Why? Are you jealous?" She tried to laugh but his serious look shut her down quickly.

"What is it?" She asked. He replied, "Naw, don't worry… it's his sword to give, not mine so it doesn't matter. Have you fought with it yet?" She shook her head.

He took out his own ANBU sword and got in a stance. She prepared herself as well and before she knew it she was blocking his attacks and trying to get an offensive strike, with no success. Kakashi didn't leave an opening for her. Their swords clashed and hummed with each strike. His blade shone against the slight light that surround the training area. Her blade melted into the darkness and was harder to see when she hid in the shadows.

She attacked and tried to get a clean shot as she flipped over him. He was prepared and somehow knocked the blade out of her hand and pushed her up against a tree. His sword pointed at her throat.

Her eyes were wide with the skill that he had and when he let go, she sighed in relief as he said, "That wasn't too bad, but it wasn't great either. You have a lot of work to do before you can effectively use a sword of that length in battle. You seem like you do better in close combat." She nodded and to show that she wasn't kidding picked up a boulder about the size of his head and crushed it with ease. He was impressed and said, "Your talent is well suited for that temper that you have."

Sakura was not having any of this anymore and said, "Really?! Why can't go a few hours without fighting over something?" He grinned at her and said, "Oh _honey_ , isn't that what normal couples do… they argue about stupid things all the time! Don't think it's all roses in every relationship."

She scoffed at him and said, "Fine, _'Darling'_ , let's see who wins this round then." She grabbed her sword once more and infused it with her chakra. Kakashi's eyes went wide as his Sharingan saw the chakra flowing from the blade. He jumped back and readied himself. Sakura charged at him and he had to fight back a couple of her attacks.

Kakashi saw an opening and spun around and tried to swing his blade down on her when he suddenly found that she had jumped overhead and was now balancing her weight on the dull edge of his blade. She was effectively pinning him down with his own sword. Kakashi had no choice but to drop his weapon and retreat. He landed on a tree branch and she expanded her chakra and as if a tsunami had hit the tree, it shattered when her blade came in contact with the tree limb where Kakashi had just been standing on.

He looked on and said, "Woah, who taught you to do that?" She grinned and said, "Wouldn't you like to know…" her eyes danced with an eagerness to continue their match. Kakashi wasn't going to back down and attacked her with everything he had.

It seemed that their spar last two hours or so because the rays of the sun had begun to shine over the horizon. They were both tired and sat down near one of the trees that Sakura hadn't managed to destroy and ate their breakfast. It seemed that the pair had found a kinship in their battle and found that their fighting styles balanced each other out.

As they finished their breakfast Kakashi said, "I think we can go see Naruto this morning." At the sound of her friend's name, her eyes lit up and she said, "Really? You promise?" He nodded and said, "Well this is also part of our mission." Let's go home and get ready for our day."

* * *

"Itachi, do you think this will work?" Shisui asked. Itachi looked back at his best friend as they prepared to ambush a small group of their clansmen and said, "It has to, we don't have many options." There was no way that Shisui would be able to address his clan in assembly and use his Mangekyo against them.

They opted to either get individuals or small groups of their clan and capture them under Shisui's Sharingan. These individuals would have to be the ones that had the greatest sway and connections within the clan. If they could convert the ways of thinking of the most influential people they wouldn't have to arrange a mass genjutsu, or mass murder. There were very few people who had the skill, or power, to overcome his Mangekyo and for that reason this seemed the way to cause little to no bloodshed.

The best friends had worked out their plans meticulously and covered the tracks impeccably. Itachi sighed and looked at Shisui and said, "I know that if we had your other eye you could do this in a heartbeat if we were able to sneak you into one of the clan's meetings, but we wouldn't be able to assure that everyone was under your power like that. For this reason, taking on small groups or even individuals will be a grueling process but ultimately it will seem like the seeds of unrest are being killed from the own people that sowed them. I just hope that the strain on your eye is not too much."

Shisui lightly hit his arm and said, "No worries, I have my Blossom to take care of me." Itachi gave him a hardened look and said, "You treat her like she is your own personal medic… she is more than that." Shisui understood how Itachi felt and said, "I know she isn't my own medic, but there is something in her chakra that calls to me. Not once, has any another medic made me feel the way she does when she heals me."

Itachi decided to change the subject before he became upset. He too was indebted to her. She had found and isolated the cells in his lungs that ultimately could have taken his life away in a few short years. He shook those thoughts from his mind and said, "Focus… the group is coming in."

Shisui gathered his chakra, and as they had planned, Itachi caught the group of men by surprise. When they went wide eye with shock at the apparent sight of Shisui back from the dead, did he trap them in his Mangekyo and impart the intentions and suggestions to change their ways. A few seconds later both Shisui and Itachi disappeared from the scene leaving the group of men confused as to why they had stopped and then left for their respective homes with a clearer understanding of what peace would bring.

Both Itachi and Shisui had debated as to the ethics and morality of changing a person's will, but with the looming propositions of a coup and open rebellion against the Hokage, they decided that this was better than having their clan be branded as traitors, sentenced to death, or worse, actually having Danzo pursue the thought of exterminating the clan by Itachi's hand. The next couple of days would be crucial to the success of their mission, they needed to get this out of the way so that they could have time before the next clan assembly. Their work had just begun and the two best friends vowed to complete this part of the mission within the next twenty-four hours. They had to focus on the looming problem that Obito posed and in figuring out how to get Shisui's eye back from Danzo.

* * *

Sakura was still not used to the stares and the whispers around them as Kakashi took her by the hand to the park. They arrived at the sunny spot where some of Sakura's fondest memories were made. She noticed the one tree that Naruto would always sit under and decided to go and wait there.

Kakashi sat back and rested his head on the trunk of the mighty tree and said, "It might be a while before he shows up." Sakura sat next to him and said, "It's ok, we can wait…"

The time flew by quickly and Sakura and Kakashi had talked about many things. Some were happy memories of her growing up, others were sad when certain people were brought up.

As they continued to reminisce she took out a small pocket knife from her pocket and showed it to Kakashi. She said that the Kakashi of her time had gifted this to her and told it to keep it safe. She wrapped her hands around it and tears started to sting her eyes. Kakashi said, "Sakura are you ok?" She shook her head and said, "No, I miss everybody. I miss my team. I miss the older you." Kakashi wrapped an arm around her shoulders and tried to comfort her but was at a loss whenever a female would openly cry. She sobbed once more when she said, "Kakashi used to do the same thing you are doing!" He then looked at her and shook her gently as she said, "Sakura, He is not dead! He is me and I am him. Don't you get it?!"

Sakura gave him a questioning look as he took out his own knife and showed it to her. The blades were identical with the exception that one had seen its fair share of years of use. Kakashi took both blades and said, "Look Sakura, I, my older self, gave you this knife because you meant something important. My mother gave my father this knife when I was born as a gift. These triangles are the symbol of my clan. If my older self gave it to you, then it must mean that he must have cared about you deeply. Don't think that you didn't make an impact on me, I mean my older self." She looked at him and he wiped her tears away. He continued, "I wouldn't give this to just anybody, this means a lot to me because it's one of the few things that I have from my parents. Obviously, there was a strong bond between you two, so just know that whatever happens, my older self would be very proud of what you are doing here."

She calmed down and then she hugged him and whispered, "Thank you so much Kakashi… It means so much to know that he thought that I was worthy of having such a special gift." Kakashi smiled under his mask and realized that if she had earned the love and respect of his older self, then he would put as much effort to get to know her better too.

As he shifted into the shade of a large branch overhead a young blonde kid jumped out at him and said, "Hey old man, what are you doing here, this is my spot!" Kakashi wanted to eye roll every time someone called him old just because of the silver hair color that he naturally had. Before Kakashi could retort back with a nasty comment, Sakura smiled at the boy and said, "Hello, My name is Sakura… I'm sorry we took your spot away. It's really nice outside and we just stopped her to enjoy the day. It's nice to meet you. What's your name?"

The boy looked at her and said, "Why do you want to know? Did someone set you up to this?" Sakura smiled at the boy and said, "No, I mean I just recently came into the village with Kakashi-kun and I don't know many people. Since I'm just meeting you, I was wondering if you wanted to be my friend?"

"Geeze lady… Why do you want me as a friend? You will only have everyone else look at you funny so just save yourself some time and find someone else." The young boy looked like he did want to be her friend but was afraid that she would get wrapped up in the bad looks others gave him.

Kakashi was done with the way that Naruto was speaking and said, "Look, your name is Naruto right?" The boy nodded and wondered why the Copy Ninja knew his name. Kakashi ruffled the boy's hair and said, "Please don't talk that way to my girl here. You see, we have people giving us funny looks all the time and it's partly my fault… so please don't talk like that. How about we go have a bite to eat, my treat."

Naruto rubbed his belly at the mention of food and said, "Alright, but can I choose where we go?" Kakashi crossed his arms over his chest and said, "Don't you have any manners? You ask the ladies first if they have a preference." They both looked at Sakura and she replied, "Honey, I saw a ramen stand down that street that smelled delicious, do you think we can go there?" Naruto couldn't believe that she read his mind and was ecstatic that she happened to pick out his favorite ramen stand.

The little group headed down the street while many more people openly stared at them and began to whisper. This gave the boy pause and said, "Look they started talking… it's best if you weren't seen with me." Sakura faced the boy and said, "I refuse to have other people's rumors and whispers dictate how I go about my own ninja way. I am a medic and if I see someone in need, I help. It doesn't matter who they are."

She saw that the boy was actively listening and continued, "You see, since Kakashi-kun and I started living together, we have gotten our fair share of dirty looks and have been the reason for the daily gossip around here. _'Did you see who Kakashi is with?' 'Look at the girl with the Copy Ninja'_ , that is all that I hear when we walk out… I see the way that they stare and gossip, but I don't care because I'm with him. Apparently dating this big _'scary ninja'_ is a big deal around here. I never thought it would be like this… at first, it hurt and I was sad, but every time I see people gawking at us, I just brush it off… They don't know him like I do and that's all that matters. So, Naruto are you willing to be my friend and not care that we already have the whole village talking about us?"

Naruto thought about what she said and knew how much the staring and rumors hurt, so if she was new to this village he wanted to be her first friend. He nodded at her and then took her hand as he raced down towards the ramen stand. Kakashi yelled out, "Hey brat, she's mine!" He could hear him laughing as they rounded the corner and arrived at their destination. By the time that Kakashi got inside the ramen stand, Naruto was busy telling Sakura of his favorite items on the menu and what he would suggest for her to eat.

The group ate their fill and talked for well over an hour. As they left, Kakashi turned to the shop owner and gave him enough money to cover several days' worth of ramen and said, "If that brat ever comes in and wants a bite to eat, take it from here. I'll come by later and leave some more so it can cover his ungodly appetite." The owner bowed his head and said, "Leave it to me sir, that boy will be well fed here with us."

Kakashi smiled underneath his mask and walked to where Naruto and Sakura were. The boy was telling her all about school and how everyone really didn't like him. She looked at Kakashi and the older shinobi sighed and said, "Look, what you lack is discipline. How about we train you so that you can do better in school and don't fail. Do you want to become a strong shinobi?" Naruto grinned and said, "I want to become stronger than even you and protect my new friend."

Kakashi rolled his eyes and said, "You have a long ways to go before you surpass me kid… and protecting my girl is my job." Naruto stuck his tongue out and said, "Look you are the one that has been chasing me and her twice now, it seems that you are not doing a very good job mister."

Kakashi stared him down and let his chakra and killing intent flow out of him. Naruto was paralyzed with fear. Kakashi looked at the boy and said in a serious tone, "No one will lay a hand on her." He saw the fear in his eye and then stopped his aura from enveloping the whole block. He put a hand on young boy's shoulder and said, "If you want to protect what's important to you, then become stronger, smarter, and figure out what makes a difference in your life. Sakura and I train at four in the morning in the training grounds close to the Forest of Death, you are welcome to join us if you want."

Sakura saw the determination in the young boy's eyes and said, "Honey, please don't scare Naruto-kun…" She looked at the boy and said, "It would be fun if you joined us in training." Naruto exclaimed, "I will be there, believe it!" He jumped up and started saying that he was going to be a strong ninja and seemed elated with the thought that someone had taken an interest in him. To the young boy, tomorrow couldn't get here fast enough.

* * *

A/N: sorry about this chapter, it seemed rushed to me and I didn't have much time to write and edit. I have worked 3 night shifts in a row and go to work in a bit. I haven't had much time to write, but I did want to post something today since my regular readers know I post daily once I start on a story. Didn't want to let you down.


	20. Chapter 20 No One Knows

For the last three days Sakura and Kakashi had been training and Naruto had been joining them. The two older shinobi tried to teach Naruto to control his chakra and helped him in the areas in which he was failing. They were slowly getting the young boy to approach others and not see the potential rejections as a cause for him not to go up and say hello.

The young boy confided in Sakura that the day before he had tried to talk to several of the boys in his class. Naruto continued his tale, "Yeah… the first one that talked to me was a kid named Shikamaru. He says that he couldn't care less what anyone's background was about so he was happy to let me sit next to him as he watched the clouds go by."

Sakura said, "I think that he will be a good friend to you too, just know that hanging out with friends can be as simple as sitting in silence." The boy was confused and said, "Then why would you want that friend if they didn't talk at all?" Sakura smiled and ruffled his hair as she said, "you will find friends that are each unique and their personalities are completely the opposite of yours. What's important is how loyal you are to your friends and how you don't let them down when they need you." Naruto was nodding his head so she continued, "It also means that you hold them accountable for their actions and call them out when they are going to do something wrong, and you expect the same from them."

Naruto seemed to think about what she said and said, "I guess I get it… Like how you call out Kakashi when he does something reckless in training?" Sakura replied, "Sort of like that…" Naruto scratched his head and thought for a moment and then said, "So this kid Sasuke is always telling me that I am doing things wrong… does he do it because he wants to be my friend." She grinned and said, "How about you invite him over to train with us tomorrow and I will bring lunch for everyone. Tell him that The Copy Ninja wants to see what he's made of."

Kakashi heard how Sakura was enlisting him in taking care of another brat, but when he heard that it was Itachi's kid brother, he began formulating a plan. The white-haired ninja strolled over to the two and said, "Yeah kid, tell the Uchiha brat to come here at noon tomorrow." Naruto was so excited that he ran all the way home and couldn't wait to tell Sasuke about what Kakashi had said.

As Naruto left the training grounds Sakura looked up and said, "What are you thinking about Kakashi?" He could only grin under his mask and said, "Oh don't you worry… Tomorrow will be special for both Sasuke and Naruto, but first I have to go and talk to a kohai of mine and call in a favor."

The following day, Naruto ran to the training grounds with a very reluctant Sasuke trailing behind. "Come on, hurry up… I am not lying, I have been training with Kakashi Hatake…" Sasuke shook his head and said, "Look Naruto, I won't believe you until I see it with my own eyes."

What Sasuke saw when he got to the training grounds he could barely understand. His eyes tried to keep up with the fast blurs of movement before him. A sudden flash of lightning surrounded the training grounds as he heard the noise of a thousand birds screeching as bright blue encompassed the field before him. The Copy Ninja was aiming a chidori attack at none other than his own brother.

Sasuke was shocked. He would have almost mistaken it for an attack on his brother's life, but he heard his brother laugh and goad Kakashi on as he jumped back from and gracefully blow out their clan's Great Fireball Jutsu. It was massive and he even felt the heat of the flames from where they stood. Suddenly, Sasuke saw a young woman jump in the fray and with a single punch she decimated the ground underneath that caused it to come up from the ground in jagged peaks that effectively blocked the inferno that rained from above.

The two young boys had never seen an all-out spar before and were awestruck about what they were witnessing. Itachi was happy and Sasuke was amazed that his brother looked so relaxed and thoroughly enjoying this spar. He noticed that the Copy Ninja was not holding back either and the rumors about him being the only none-Uchiha Sharingan user were true.

Itachi took advantage of a huge dust cloud that Sakura had just kicked up with a massive kick to the ground to pull her into him and trap her between a tree trunk and himself. He leaned down at whispered into her ear, "Oh… How I have missed you, my Sakura."

She melted into his arms and then leaned her neck a bit sideways as Itachi took advantage and ghosted his lips across her neck. Sakura breathed out, "Me too…" He pulled her closer to him and said, "I don't ever want to let you go…" She pulled him closer by the edge of his shirt and said, "Neither do I…" Her hand gently touched Itachi's chest, right above his heart and he placed his hand over hers and said, "It's yours… It only belongs to you…" She looked directly into his eyes and saw the sincerity of his words. Itachi looked down towards her lips and wanted to taste them… he needed to claim them. He leaned in closer and closer when the tree behind her snapped in half with the force of lightning. Itachi heard Kakashi laugh at him as his senpai said, "Not today brat… She's still under my care." Sakura had to jump out of the way to avoid getting hit by a branch that fell from the impact.

Their spar was not over and Kakashi interrupted his brief moment with Sakura. Itachi was not going to be left in this state, he advanced on the Copy Ninja with his blade fully infused with his chakra. The fire glowed of the blade and Kakashi had been forced to retreat back into the forest. Sakura charged at the white hair shinobi and was able to draw him out for Itachi to attack.

The hum of blade on blade sung out from all across the field and Sasuke and Naruto could not see what was happening. Both knew better than to go into the middle of a Jonin Level spar. The three shinobi fought for a few more minutes and made their way back into the open field. It was getting close to noon by the time that they finished their spar and walked over to where Sasuke and Naruto were standing.

Sasuke was the first to run up to his brother and say, "Brother, why didn't you tell me you were going to be here?" Itachi's shoulder was aching but said nothing as his brother continued to ask him question after question. Itachi gently looked at his brother and said, "Sasuke slow down… let me introduce you to my friends here. This is my senpai, Kakashi Hatake" Sasuke bowed his head in greetings and then faced the young woman who was currently healing a large gash on the side of the Copy Ninja. Itachi said, "This is Sakura, she is an exceptional shinobi and a very talented medic nin." Sasuke bowed to her as well and said, "I'm sorry to be rude but I have a question…" Sakura saw the young face of her teammate and she tried to hold back the tears. When she felt that she was composed, she smiled and said, "Go ahead ask away."

Sasuke said, "I have never seen a medic nin enter the fray of battle in such a way. How can you fight like that?" She was happy to see that this Sasuke still had the innocence of curiousity and wonder of a young child. He still was not tainted by hate. She took a deep breath to make sure that her voice did not crack with the emotion that she felt at seeing him and said, "Well… mostly a lot of practice and very fine chakra control." Sasuke wanted to ask her some more things but he saw how she noticed something and immediately was at his brother's side. Her hands were glowing and she was touching his shoulder as she said, "I need you to sit down while I set this back in place. It will hurt for a bit but I will heal the muscle as soon as I'm done."

How could Sasuke not realize that his brother was injured… wait his brother was injured? He didn't understand what had made him reckless enough to suffer an injury, this was his brother he was talking about.

Sasuke watched how the young woman healed his brother and when she was finished he ran up and hugged her around her waist. She was surprised by his sudden affection and gently placed her hand on his head. She heard him say, "Thank you for healing my brother." She leaned down and fully embraced him and whispered, "Don't you worry Sasuke-kun… I will never let anything happen to your brother." She remembered Kakashi's words from earlier about the Kakashi of her time not being dead but alive in him. Sasuke was not dead, he was here, he was living, breathing, and he was still full of hope and wonder.

Itachi saw how Sasuke hugged Sakura and gently smiled at the warmth that his little brother embraced her with. He wondered what she was thinking and was worried that it might make her cry but seeing the look on her face now, told him that this would make her stronger in her resolve. He placed a hand on his younger brother's shoulder and said, "Come on Sasuke, let's give her some space." Itachi was looking directly at her and winked as he bit his bottom lip making her blush. He loved that she reacted this way to him.

Sakura stammered, "Let's… Let's eat lunch everybody…" She gathered everyone and placed a blanket underneath the shade of a tall tree. She opened up several containers and handout chopsticks to everyone. The foods that she had prepared were perfect for a picnic and the group enjoyed them. Naruto was happily eating and was about to get the last onigiri when Sasuke reached for it at the same time. Both boys looked at the container and then at each other. Naruto was moving his hand away to let Sasuke have it when Sasuke handed him the container and said, "I'm sorry I doubted you." Naruto took the offered onigiri and then broke it in half and gave the remaining half to Sasuke.

Itachi, Sakura, and Kakashi were closely watching this unfold and saw how Sasuke accepted it with a smile on his face. Sakura looked over at Itachi as he gave her knee a gentle squeeze that no one else noticed. It seemed that Sasuke and Naruto had formed the beginnings of a bond between each other and continued to eat to their hearts content.

Naruto was retelling Sasuke and Itachi all that Kakashi and Sakura had taught him in the last couple of days. Sasuke looked at his brother and said, "Do you think Mother and Father will mind if I come and train with them as well?" Itachi looked at his brother and said, "I think you should ask if you are even invited to their training… or have you forgotten your manners."

Sasuke turned a light shade of pink which he hid by bowing his head towards Kakashi and Sakura as he said, "Could I please come and train with Naruto as well?" Sakura looked at Kakashi silently asking for his permission which he shrugged and said, "It won't bother me… but I won't go easy on any of you just because you are brats."

Sasuke looked up and said, "I won't let you beat me Naruto!" Naruto grinned and slapped Sasuke jokingly on his shoulder and said, "Well I guess you are my rival then, because I won't give up either!"

They finished their meal and made plans to meet again in the morning. Itachi and Sasuke went back to the Uchiha district and Sakura and Kakashi finished putting away everything to take back home.

They didn't see the slight rustle of leaves as a masked man watched their every move.


	21. Chapter 21 Second Chances

The Hokage was gathering intelligence of some movement from an unknown attacker making his way towards Konoha. The report that alarmed him was from an ANBU that died a few hours ago. He had suffered massive blood loss and was only able to get inside the gates of Konoha to deliver the blood-soaked intel. The missive said that a shinobi with unknown skills had slaughtered a group of sentries and was seen wearing an orange mask. The ANBU team sent to investigate the death of the sentries was ambushed and killed. One of his most trusted ANBU guards had made a run towards Konoha to warn them of what was coming.

Shikaku had read the intel and figured that Obito was getting prepared to make his move. He had been working on plans upon plans with the information that Itachi and Sakura had provided. There were a lot of things that worried Shikaku about one of the members of the Akatsuki known as Zetsu… there was something in his gut that told him that he was more dangerous than the others and because they now knew that Black Zetsu was the will of Kaguya, and not truly Madara. Shikaku had been working with the most skilled shinobi who specialized in seals to come up with a way to prevent him from summoning her.

Itachi and Shisui had completed their part in getting the majority of the clan under the influence of Shisui's Sharingan, but there were still some opposition left. Fugaku was one of them; he couldn't understand the gradual change in the minds of his clansmen. Some of the previous supporters of the coup were even suggesting that the village elders might be more inclined to listen to Uchiha concerns if they approached things differently. Since Itachi was still being kept 'in the dark' about Shisui's apparent suicide, Fugaku had no choice but to keep things quiet and not make a fuss until he could figure out what was happening.

Another alarming development was that Itachi reported that he had met with the masked shinobi two days ago and it seemed that the mystery ninja was irate about something and was rambling on to Itachi, not making sense about what he wanted. Itachi seemed to have calmed him down and had convinced him that everything was still going to plan and he was indeed going to help him seek revenge on the clan, but couldn't get the masked man to settle on a specific date. Itachi reported that Shisui had been watching them from the shadows and was not able to capture him in a genjutsu. They both felt that they would have to confront Obito head on if they were going to succeed.

Sitting in his office, Sarutobi sighed and took a long drag from his pipe as he considered what was to come. There was a knock on the door and Danzo walked in. Sarutobi greeted him and said, "How are you doing Danzo? What brings you to my office?" The other man limped up to the desk and said, "Have you given some thought about the Uchiha problem that we are dealing with?"

The elderly shinobi said, "I have. I refuse to harm any clan from OUR village. There has to be another way!" Danzo sneered at the man and said, "I do have _ways_ … you just refuse to see reason on what the future might hold if those Uchiha are left to wallow in their hate. You are weak and have always been easy on those that should be punished."

This made Sarutobi stand and meet the lone eye of the bandaged man, "Do you think that _you_ could do a better job? That you have the interest of the Leaf at heart, or are you so darkened by your hate to see that what you propose is wrong in every sense?" Danzo glared and turned to leave while muttering, "We will see how effective your leadership is…"

The Hokage summoned Itachi and within a few minutes, the young Uchiha heir was in his office, a knee bent and head bowed awaiting his leader's orders. "Itachi…. son, get up…" Itachi did as he was told and Sarutobi continued, "Danzo will make his move soon… Get with Shikaku about the other intel that we received… I think we will be having our hands full in the next couple of days." Itachi nodded and said, "Should I increase the ANBU to your residence?" The older shinobi said, "No… I am fine, but do send someone over to my grandson's home. I want him watched at all times." Itachi bowed and said, "It will be done."

Itachi left without saying another word, he went directly to the ANBU tower and dispatched the guards to Konohamaru's house. His next destination was evident in his heart… he was going to see _her_.

As he approached the park where he knew she would be, he saw that his mother and Sasuke were walking there as well. Itachi hid his chakra signature and then expanded his senses to see if anyone else was tailing him. When no one else was, he hid in some of the surrounding trees to watch what his mother was doing with Sasuke.

Sakura had been teaching Naruto how to properly gather chakra to a specific body part, such as their feet when they climbed surfaces against gravity. Kakashi had been sitting down reading a book nearby and there was a group of children playing in the background. Sakura had noticed that her younger version was playing amongst the children and at first was concerned that meeting her younger self would rip open time, or something like that, but Kakashi convinced her that if that would have been true, it would have happened the instant that she was within the same time/space continuum.

Sakura hadn't approached her younger self yet, she wanted little Sakura to realize that making friends and overcoming the teasing that caused her to have many body image issues was important in her self-development. She didn't want it forced upon her and would wait and see if little Sakura made the choice herself.

Naruto concentrated on his chakra control, but suddenly felt a pair of eyes on him, it felt weird and was about to mention it to Sakura when he noticed Sasuke coming over with a lady who had a kind look in her eye. Sasuke introduced his mother to Kakashi and Sakura, which they returned with a respectful bow. Mikoto then looked at the young blond child before her and approached him and said, "Are you Naruto-kun?"

Naruto nodded but didn't say anything. Mikoto had seen the hesitation in speaking with an adult written all over his face. She continued, "Hello, my name is Mikoto Uchiha. I am Sasuke's mom. He has been telling me all about your trainings. I wanted to tell you that I am very happy that my son found a friend in which he can have a friendly rivalry with. I know that the both of you will grow in your ninja ways together."

Naruto didn't know what to say and instead bowed his head and said, "It was very nice to meet you Uchiha-san" She knelt and with a gentle hand cupped his chin so that she could take a good look at the boy that was cursed by all as the Jinchuriki of the village. He had the same lost eyes that Shisui did when he came to her door dragged in by her eldest son.

She looked into Naruto's eyes and could see the perfect mix of Kushina and Minato. Her eyes stung a bit at the thought of her friend's son growing up alone and she felt extremely guilty for taking so long to have the courage to go up to the boy and offer some motherly comfort.

He noticed the moisture in her eyes and Naruto said, "Uchiha-san, are you ok?" She smiled warmly at him and said, "Naruto… I am sorry it has taken me this long, but I knew your parent's well…" Naruto stared at her, a spark of hope blossomed in his small heart. She saw this in his eyes and whispered, "Son… you will always be welcomed in my home. I know that you want to know more about them and… and I hope that you can forgive me for taking this long to do this…" She hugged him and said, "Your mom was a dear friend of mine and her death affected me a lot… I'm sorry for abandoning the child of someone I saw as a sister." She felt some tears on her shoulder which turned into sobs and then into cries. The young boy hugged her fiercely, as if he was hugging his own mother. He whispered, "Please… tell me more."

Mikoto said, "Child, first take me to where you are living now. I want to see where you live and make sure that you have everything that you need. I mean… if that is ok with your sensei, I don't want to disturb your training." Sakura shook her head and said, "No Uchiha-san, right now Naruto-kun needs you more than he needs us. Please go ahead and don't worry about us."

Sasuke turned to his mother and said, "Hey mom do you think that Naruto can come over and spend the night with us since we are going to miss training today?" She patted his head and said, "If that is something that Naruto-kun wishes, I have no problem with it." Naruto beamed and said, "Thank you Uchiha-san..." Mikoto replied, "Please Naruto-kun, you can call me Auntie if you would like."

She took Naruto's hand and Sasuke's and walked towards Naruto's home answering all the questions that Naruto could think of.

Sakura smiled and went to sit next to Kakashi. He looked up from his book and said, "So… how do you think the mission is going?" She said, "With Naruto and Sasuke?... I think it's going great, I think those two will have an even stronger bond now." Kakashi knew that she was still thinking about something so he turned his book down on his knee to save his place and looked at her, "What is bothering you?"

She looked back and said, "I want my younger self to develop as well, I don't want her feeling like she is being left behind…" Kakashi answered, "But they haven't even started in the Academy… we still have time left." She thought about it and wondered if she would have to watch her younger self suffer through her long-lasting crush and not see her ninja way.

Speaking of crushes… Itachi made his way over to where they were. She lightly blushed and Kakashi rolled his eyes. Kakashi lazily stretched his arms and placed one over her shoulders. Itachi was about to say something but Kakashi tapped his chin and said, "Uh, uh, brat… we are in public and right now you can't do anything about this…" He leaned over and placed a chaste masked kiss on Sakura's cheek.

Itachi's hands balled into fists and Sakura's eyebrow twitched in frustration. Itachi felt a chakra spike and then looked around and whispered, "I felt someone looking at us just now. Did you feel it too?" Kakashi nodded and quietly said, "I have been trying to get a feel from where it was coming from. I felt it when Sakura was training Naruto as well… It might be Obito…"

Itachi said, "I will inform the Hokage and alert Shikaku." With that he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Kakashi kept his arm over her shoulder and leaned down and whispered, "Play along…" She nodded and then felt his other hand grab hers as he brought it up to his masked lips. He said in a normal voice, "My sweet, let's go home for now, I can't wait to get you all alone." Sakura brought her hand to cover her face as she whispered, "Laying it kinda thick there huh, Kakashi." He then jokingly said, "Come now, don't be shy… show me how much you love me my dear."

Sakura moved her hand away from her face and laid her head on his shoulder and curled up next to him. She gently played with the edge of his shirt and almost gritted through her teeth, "If Itachi doesn't kill you by the end of this mission, I might." She had a smile on her face and Kakashi paled underneath his mask. He was unsure if she was serious or not. They got up and went back to Kakashi's house in a somewhat tense silence.

Once they got inside Kakashi let go of her hand and said, "Look Sakura you need to just admit it and tell him how you feel." She looked down and said, "But I have no experience in this sort of stuff…" Kakashi sighed and said, "It looks like he likes you already, so… just confess to him. You guys know that I'm just giving him a hard time while we keep our cover up. These last few days have made me really appreciate you as a close friend… I will only say this once and don't you dare repeat any of this to anyone else…"

He paused and she looked right at him as he continued, "Don't become someone you are not because of your past, live in the now and don't lose hope in what's in front of you. It seemed to me that my older version must have had feelings for you because of what you all went through together… and it looked like it took him a very long time to figure it out. I don't want that for myself now… After all this is said and done, I want my friends to be happy… but most of all I don't want to be alone anymore. If I ever find love, I won't waste my opportunity, so neither should you."

Sakura was moved by his words and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her and breathed in deeply as he whispered, "Thank you for showing me my way." She pulled back and moved the hair that had fallen over his face. She said, "No matter what time or dimension, I will never leave my friends, you taught me that and for that reason you will always have a special place in my heart." He kissed her forehead and hugged her tightly.

They both did not see the mismatched eyes that were fuming with anger at the sight of their embrace. The masked shinobi had it with his once traitorous teammate. If Kakashi had taken Rin away, Obito was going to pay him in full in the same way. It was only a matter of time.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for all the love I'm receiving with each review/follow/favorite/PM and another add to a second Community page. It really means a lot to me!

I went to the Imagine Dragons concert last night and I am so happy today and inspired to continue writing because of all the good vibes from their music. I hope some of you have noticed that each chapter title is the name of a song from some of my favorite artists. I have the next chapter written and in editing so I shouldn't skip another day from updating just because of my work schedule. Love you all!


	22. Chapter 22 Uprising

Mikoto found herself unable to leave the young boys alone anymore and followed them to the park the next day promising to give them a special dinner after their training. She saw how the two boys were inseparable. They fed off each other's energy and shared similar dreams of becoming strong ninja for their village.

As she sat in the park she noticed a small girl with pink hair play by herself in the swings and approached her. The Uchiha matriarch would have loved to have had a daughter and was interested in the child's unique hair color. She said, "May I sit with you child?" Sakura noticed the Uchiha emblem on her clothing and saw that Sasuke was nearby. The young girl asked, "Are you Sasuke-kun's mom?" The woman smiled and nodded.

Sakura smiled brightly and said, "Please sit down Uchiha-san." The two gently swung as they watched Naruto and Sasuke play a game of ninja tag. Mikoto said, "Why don't you join them little one?"

Sakura sighed and wished she could but said, "I don't think I can keep up." Mikoto saw her hesitation and said, "Don't think that because you are a woman you are any less powerful." She took out a pair of senbon from her hair and then threw them with deadly accuracy, hitting two of the many practice targets that Kakashi had set up for the boys yesterday with a flick of her wrist.

Sakura's eyes were wide with awe. She said, "How did you do that?" Mikoto smiled and said, "Lots and lots of practice my dear." The young girl was about to ask her another question when they saw smoke coming from the west side of the village. Mikoto stood up in alarm, her Sharingan already spinning. She screamed at Sasuke and Naruto to move out of the way as a large boulder flew in their direction.

Mikoto noticed that there were some explosive tags attached to the boulder and quickly leaped out of the way, grabbing not only her son, but Naruto and the little girl and throwing them out of the blast zone.

The explosion caught the attention of Sakura and Kakashi who were already on their way to the park. Sakura looked at Kakashi with alarm and said, "The kids!" They ran as fast as they could and noticed little Sakura and Naruto huddled over Mikoto's body. Sasuke was crying and holding his mother's hand as he furiously rubbed his eyes that were starting to sting with a sudden surge of chakra.

Sakura ran up to them and assessed the situation. She lifted the piece of rock that she had been pinned under and saw that she had a crushing injury to her leg and had passed out. Sakura's hands quickly glowed green and began healing her. Little Sakura was amazed at the sight before her. She saw how easy Sakura removed the large rock and quickly healed and mended the tissue. Sasuke was next to Naruto and little Sakura. They both showed him some support by grabbing his hands. Naruto whispered, "Big Sis Sakura will make Auntie feel better, you will see." Sasuke's eyes were bleeding red now and his vision was becoming clearer than ever before.

Kakashi noticed these plant like openings come from underground and some white skinned humanoid figures come his way. Kakashi fought off the creatures to give Sakura enough time to get Mikoto and the kids out of the way.

Sasuke noticed his mother's eyes flutter open and he let go of little Sakura's hand and Naruto's to embrace her. The fighting was getting closer to them and Sakura helped Mikoto move as the young kids followed her. She led them to one of the closest buildings and said, "Mikoto san, can I leave the kids here with you? I promise to come back as soon as I can."

Sasuke grabbed Sakura's hand and with the beginnings of a spinning Sharingan said, "I'll come with you. They hurt my mom." Sakura was moved but knelt quickly and said, "Sasuke the Sharingan you just awakened is going to take a lot of chakra out of you that you still cannot control. I need you and Naruto to protect your mom until she can regain some strength. Can you do that for me now?" He nodded and then she said, "You will have to deactivate it before you pass out, ask your mom to show you how, ok."

Sasuke hugged her and said, "Be safe and get them for me." Sakura placed a kiss on his forehead and said, "I will Sasuke-kun, I will."

Sakura ran towards Kakashi who was fighting off three creatures by himself. She yelled as she struck one in the head, shattering it. Kakashi asked, "They are not alive? Sakura shook her head and said, "These are part of the White Zetsu army. We need to destroy them as soon as possible. I have no idea how they were awakened but I feel that Obito is making his move. He will come after us first. We have to move out of the village."

* * *

The Uchiha district was under attack by the same creatures that Itachi had seen in Sakura's memories. He gathered part of the Konoha Military Police and lead them in a fight from within the district. They all fought them off and although many homes were lost, Itachi was able to keep the destruction to a minimum with very little loss of life. Fugaku, on the other hand, had ordered his immediate subordinates to stay where they were and were now trapped under the rubble of the once military headquarters.

Itachi made his way over to the headquarters and with the help of the shinobi's that followed him, they were able to move the rubble and help their fellow clansmen out. Itachi then said, "We have to move into the village and help. There is no room for anyone to be divisive. We must all act as one and defend our village, our home." They followed the heir to the clan into the center of the village as Itachi directed them in recovery efforts.

When things were set into place he searched for the chakra signature that he would follow for the rest of his life. His trek across the village was filled with worry at the thought of how his Sakura was doing. He worried about his mother, his brother, and about what Shisui was doing on his own. He felt the surges of chakra up ahead and heard Sakura yelling as several dust clouds surrounded the area.

Sakura stood atop the mangled corpses of several white creatures. She had taken down several on her own and Kakashi was fighting off a group as well. He saw Itachi bring the Military Police and they helped clear the area before moving on to the next. The village saw how bravely the Uchiha's were protecting the village that other clans began sending their own to fight alongside them instead of just protecting their respective lands.

Sakura looked at Itachi and said, "We will move out towards the gates of the village. We need to get him out of here. Obito has been following Kakashi for a while now." Itachi nodded and said, "I will finish here and meet you there soon. Sakura… be safe." With a smile Sakura took out the blade that Itachi had gifted her and as she showed him, she said, "I have a part of you with me at all times… I will see you soon." He saw her charge forward into the multitude and effectively make her way through with ease. He took out his own katana and felt the bond between their blades grow stronger than before.

The fight within the village moved on towards the Hyuga's lands and Itachi bravely led his fighters there to help. The Hyuga were a bit reluctant due to their distrust of the Uchiha, but saw that Itachi was the one leading them and was effectively making a difference. Their final decision to help was made when Itachi skidded out of the way of an attack and managed to cover the young Hinata from a volley of shuriken aimed her way. She was safely deposited in the arms of Hiashi, their clan leader, who had a surprised look on his face. Itachi continued to fight off the creatures and with a massive fireball jutsu set them all aflame. Itachi was not expecting a thank you from them, so he just looked back and said, "Hyuga-san, these creatures are not alive, the only way to get rid of them is to destroy their bodies."

Hiashi looked at the shaking child in his arms and then looked at the Uchiha heir and said, "You have my gratitude for saving my child. I will send people to help you and give them orders to strictly follow your command." Not only did Hiashi send the branch house members, but also the main house members to go and protect the village alongside the Uchiha.

All throughout the village the clans came together and looked towards Itachi's leadership. He made quick effective decisions and was able to keep them moving in a systematic way, defeating each enemy as they encountered it.

Once they got to the edge of the village, he noticed that Sakura was surrounded by several white Zetsu's. Kakashi was fighting off the masked man. He was torn between helping Sakura or helping Kakashi take on Obito.

He took one look at her and saw the determination in her eye. He knew that she was strong and decided to let her take care of this. He ran towards Kakashi and heard from behind, "Shannaro!" Itachi didn't have to turn around to see that she had taken care of the threat and was now making her way towards him.

Itachi felt Shisui's Shunshin pass right by him almost undetected and come close to hitting Obito. The attack only grazed him on his side and wasn't as deep as Shisui had hoped. Obito dodged and then ran towards Kakashi with hate in his eyes. He screamed, "How can you ever be happy after what you have done?! You don't deserve happiness from what you stole from me! She was my everything and you killed her!"

Sakura jumped in front of Kakashi and blocked an attack meant for him. She screamed, "Obito, Madara is using you, what you are feeling was meant for you to turn to the Curse of Hatred! He has also been manipulating you because he was the one that made Rin into a jinchuriki sent to destroy Konoha! She chose to get in the way of Kakashi's chidori because she didn't want to be a part of a plan to destroy her village. Don't you understand that what you are doing is against her wishes!"

Obito had no idea what this woman was talking about and could only feel the hate towards his once teammate. He wasn't sure how this woman knew his name, or knew of Rin, but he didn't care. She was the reason that Kakashi was happy now and was having the relationship that Obito should have had with Rin. His eyes were filled with rage and he aimed a deadly attack towards her.

Kakashi saw this with his own spinning Sharingan and before Itachi or Shisui could move her out of the way, he leaped in front of her and took the hit himself.

His bones shattered on his left side as he was thrown several feet away. Sakura screamed, "Kakashi!" She got up from where Kakashi had thrown her and ran towards her friend. She worked furiously to save him and she began crying in her desperation. She focused with everything that she had and for a second Obito saw Rin's face superimposed on Sakura. Obito saw how Sakura worked hard to save Kakashi, just as Rin had worked to save him from the crushing injury that he suffered those many years ago.

That moment of weakness was all it took for Shisui to flash behind him and hold him down as Itachi trapped him in Tsukuyomi.

From within the confines of Itachi's created world Obito witnessed the massive destruction that he had caused, all in Madara's quest for resurrection and their dream of the infinite Tsukuyomi. He saw the war with the Zetsu army, how the Shinobi nations fought together and how in the end Madara betrayed him. Itachi showed him everything that Sakura saw when they fought the awesome power of Kaguya and the redemption that the Obito of her time sought when he entered Kaguya's dimension and sent her here.

Obito's mind was fighting Itachi for control but it was a battle that he was quickly losing. Obito felt like a veil had been lifted and he saw what he was doing and how Rin would have been so disappointed in him, after all she always told him that she would be watching.

Sakura looked down at the masked face of her friend and saw the shallow breaths that he was taking. She mended the broken ribs and then worked to get the blood out of his lungs. Kakashi could barely breath and he clawed at his face, taking his mask off in an attempt to get some much-needed oxygen. Sakura looked at him and said, "It's ok, you're safe with me." She had seen the wild look in his eyes, and worked faster to drain the accumulated blood that was preventing the expansion of his lungs. After a minute, Kakashi was starting to feel the pull of relief encompass his chest. She brushed his hair out of his face and grabbed the edge of his mask. Before she pulled it up she gave him a kiss on his exposed cheek. She quickly covered his face and said, "Thank you… for always being there right when I need you."

Shisui continued to hold down Obito as Shikaku made his way towards their location. Once he assessed the situation and saw that Kakashi was being taken care of by Sakura, and Itachi was holding Obito in a genjutsu he approached the group. Shisui said, "Nara-san, now… the seal… place the seal. He is fighting Itachi and trying to break free. Seal him now!"

Shikaku did some seals and opened a scroll that expanded below him and around Obito. Shikaku was going to bite his thumb to seal him with his blood, when Kakashi approached and said, "Nara-san, it should be me, please let me do this." Shikaku allowed the Copy Ninja to write the seal in blood across Obito's exposed stomach. Once placed, Shikaku and Kakashi both did the seals required to activate the jutsu to seal the part of Zetsu that kept influencing Obito and rid him of Madara's control.

Itachi felt Obito's mind freed and he approached him and said, "Will you let Rin down by destroying the village that she died to protect?" Obito hung his head in shame and said, "She deserved so much more…" Itachi agreed and said, "According to reports, Kakashi was the one that dealt with her death the hardest. He has suffered because he has seen his entire team die. She preferred to die at his hands than at the hands of her attackers. Would you dishonor her in the cruelest of ways by killing all that she held dear?"

Obito whispered, "Is what you showed me true?" Itachi replied, "It's what happened in Sakura's dimension… Your older self was the one who sent her here to prevent the massacre of our clan."

Obito sighed in defeat and said, "I give up." Itachi released him from his mind control and Obito's body slumped on the ground before them.

Sakura was immediately at Itachi's side with a concerned look on her face. She hugged him as Itachi put a hand over her shoulders and brought her into his arms. He whispered, "Are you alright?" She nodded and then said, "We need to go and check on your mom, she was injured in the initial attack but I healed her and left the kids to watch over her while she regained her strength."

Itachi looked at Shisui and said, "Can you take him to T & I? Inoichi is already been briefed on how to proceed from here, I will go check on my mom and the kids and meet you at the Hokage Tower. Shisui do not let anyone else see you, we still need to fix things with my father."

Shisui looked at Sakura and how she seemed to only have eyes for his best friend and swallowed his pride and said, "Yes, brother… I will meet you there." Shikaku helped him take Obito back into the village and Kakashi told them that he was going to go help with rescue efforts as well.

The group went their separate ways and Itachi followed Sakura to the building where she left the kids and his mother. Itachi entered the room and saw that Naruto had a large stick in his hands, little Sakura was holding his mother's hand, and his little brother had a kunai and a ready stance. He saw a brief flash of red in his little brother's eyes but was gone when he recognized who he was.

The relief was evident in their faces and when Sakura walked in the room both Naruto and Sasuke ran up to her and hugged her. They asked if she had been injured and if she had taken out the creatures that had injured Mikoto. She ruffled their hair and said, "Yes we did. Your big brother here helped save the whole village." Itachi looked back to the young woman as he bent to pick up his mother in his arms.

Mikoto noticed the look on both of their faces and wondered what kind of bond these two shared. The village had been teeming with rumors of the Copy Ninja living with this girl. Her eyes could not betray the love and longing that her son and Sakura shared. She hadn't felt that way about Sakura and Kakashi when they met, it was more of a feeling of camaraderie than love.

Itachi asked Sakura to head towards the Hokage Tower with the kids and he would catch up with her as soon as he could. Mikoto saw how the kids gravitated to her and felt that Sasuke would be safe in her hands.

Once they had left. Itachi looked at his mother and said, "Do you want me to take you home or to the hospital?" Mikoto said, "Son, are you in love with Sakura?"

His light blush was all she needed to know and no amount of hiding his emotions would convince her otherwise. She sighed and said, "She is in a relationship with Hatake-san, I did not raise you to covet, tell me what is going on."

Itachi placed her on a nearby chair and knelt in front of his mother. He took her hand and said, "Sakura…" he took a deep breath, "My heart belongs to her. She is not in a real relationship with Kakashi senpai, it is merely a cover for our mission…" Itachi knew he could not lie to his mother so he readied his nerves and said, "Mother… she came here to save me… to save our clan and our village. Those creatures that attacked, wreaked havoc in her time and started the Fourth Shinobi war… the coup that Father and the clan wanted to happen, led to orders for me to slaughter everyone in the clan in exchange for Sasuke's life… I can't explain it all but I can show you." Her eyes were wide with surprise and she asked, "Son, how? I mean…"

He raised his hands towards her temples and activated his Sharingan. He whispered, "Please don't fight it… just see and feel." He flooded her with images of the night that she saved Shisui, of how he looked at her when she wasn't looking, how she had shown compassion towards others and was selfless in her calling as a medic.

Once he felt that she had gotten a glimpse of who Sakura was, he showed her the memories that she had shared with him of her past. Itachi also showed his mother how she had examined him and found the diseased cells that might eventually take his life.

Mikoto began to tear up and put her hands up to her eyes in an attempt to stop the images of the blood that Itachi shed because of coup that her husband was planning. She then felt an extreme sense of gratitude towards Sakura when she found out about how she stopped the disease from spreading in her son's lungs.

The conflicting emotions were getting to be too much and Itachi released her from his mind. Mikoto looked deep into her son's eyes and said, "My precious child, the weight you have had to bear because of our sins is something that I could never forgive myself for."

Itachi took her hand and kissed it and said, "I no longer bear it alone… I have her… I have Shisui… I have my brother… and I want to have my clan back as well. Mother we must stop looking into hate to solve our problems. We are better than this… we, our clan, loves with a ferocity fueled by our will of fire. No one can extinguish what I feel for her, or for my village. Please understand."

Mikoto kissed his forehead and said, "You have my blessing my son, she is a wonderful girl keeping you in the light." He smiled at his mother and Mikoto couldn't remember when was the last time that he had given her a genuine smile.

He picked her up once more and headed towards the Hokage Tower.


	23. Chapter 23 You're Mine

Sakura and the children arrived at the Hokage Tower and Shisui caught up with Sakura after she had made sure that the kids were safely under the eye of two ANBU guards. The authority in her voice was evident and she commanded them to get a task force ready to get the injured in the hospital stabilized and word out to Tsunade that she would have to return to the village to help heal the wounded. Sakura also had ANBU search for a quiet room where people who were injured and were already here could be examined and treated. She truly was a force to be reckoned with.

Shisui tried to surprise her and sneaked up behind her and said, "Hey Blossom…" she looked at his smiling face and hugged him back saying, "I missed you Shisui." His heart ached at her touch.

She smiled at him and his heart was telling him to go for it, but his mind was pulling him back. Sakura was warm and her arms felt 'just right' around him. He knew that Itachi and her had a very strong bond but he would be damned if he wasn't going to fight for her until the end.

She asked him with genuine concern, "How are things in the Nara compound?" He sighed and said, "Boring without you…" Shisui saw the blush creeping up her face and thought, _'There's still hope.'_

She asked, "Really? I thought that you guys would be too busy to be bored."

He grinned and said, "Well it can't all be about work… I mean life is more than that, right?" He had been staring deep into her eyes and had pulled her to a small corridor to get some privacy. Shisui knew that Itachi was making his way here and would arrive at any second. He had to see if there was any chance for him.

His right hand was at her waist and his left caressed the edge of her jaw. Her eyelids fluttered at his touch and he whispered, "Did you really miss me, MY Blossom?" Shisui's voice was laced with an authority that called to his possessiveness over her. His breath was close now and he wanted to claim her lips but waited to see what her response would be. Her voice shook with an unspoken emotion as he lightly traced the small of her back and caressed his fingers through her hair. "Shi… Shisui… of course I did…"

He leaned in further and said, "Have you decided, my Blossom?" he took a deep breath and exhaled slowly right into the crook of her neck, sending shivers down her spine and causing her to bump right into the back of the wall to support her weight.

Sakura knew that Shisui was always very forward with her and she was definitely attracted to him. His charisma and honesty with his emotions towards her were completely different to what she had always been used to. But… She knew that she could not make a choice when she was so focused on saving her village. Itachi was also very forward with his intentions and it made her feel that she was coming in between them two.

She took a deep breath to steady her rapidly beating heart and placed her hand on his chest and looked at him. He was preparing himself for the worst, shielding his heart from rejection…

Sakura took another deep breath and said, "Shisui… as much as I would like to give you an answer, I can't… I have not processed everything between you… and Itachi… and with the attack… I just can't choose right on the spot. I care very deeply for both of you and I know that you guys are extremely close… I..."

He didn't let her speak, he just hugged her and said, "Blossom… Please don't run from me… Never from me… I will wait until you decide. I know that you need to figure out your feelings and it really hasn't been the best of times, especially since that closet pervert took you away from us… but I will be here."

Shisui felt her relax into his arms and return his embrace. She whispered, "I feel safe here with you…" This would suffice for now, he knew that he couldn't push her too fast in this… She had said that she was new to all of this and he didn't want to scare her off, but at least he did make her feel safe and secure.

Sakura could feel the steady beat of his heart as she held him tighter. The attack had left her nerves shot and she kept remembering the fight with Obito in her own dimension. She was feeling overwhelmed and Shisui's arms were providing the only comfort that she could get at the moment.

When she calmed down she laughed slightly and Shisui pulled back raising one eyebrow as if asking why she was laughing. She responded, "I just remembered that by _'closet pervert'_ you meant Kakashi and it was funny thinking about how he looked at the Nara house all those days ago…" He chuckled and said, "He didn't try to put the moves on you or anything?" She gently shook her head and said, "No… I didn't feel that from him, but I think I found a good friend in him. He is very different from the Kakashi that I knew that's for sure, although, there are things that are distinctly him no matter what."

He played with a bit of her hair and could see that the dye was starting to wash out and wondered how much longer it would be to get her hair back to its normal color. As if reading his mind, she replied, "It should wash off in the next three days or so, I keep seeing it get lighter and lighter. I just need to keep washing it." He sighed in relief and said, "Your natural hair color is like looking at the perfect shade of a pink cherry blossom in its full bloom."

She jokingly asked, "Yeah but how would an Uchiha look like with my hair color?" He cupped her chin and leaned in really close and said, "They would look like the most perfect children in my eyes if you were their mother." She realized that he was serious and blushed at the thought of her having an Uchiha child. Shisui noticed gave her a quick kiss on the tip of her nose and said, "But, hey, a guy can only dream, right?" She blushed a shade darker. He wanted to tease her some more but was interrupted from an ANBU guard saying that the Hokage was requesting their presence.

Shisui reluctantly let go of his Blossom and followed her up the steps. When they opened the doors to the Hokage's office they saw that Shikaku and Itachi were at the desk hunched over a map of the city. Itachi was pointing to some of the sites that were going to need to rebuild. He looked at the door and smiled when he saw Sakura and Shisui come in.

Sakura went up to them and informed them of what she had asked some of the ANBU to set up. Shikaku agreed with her assessment of the immediate needs and said, "You have the hospital at your command, do you require anything else?"

She shook her head and said, "I will go and assess what I have to work with first. If Lady Tsunade arrives let her know that I will be there." She looked at Itachi and said, "Has your mom regained her strength?"

He nodded as he remembered what his mother and he had talked about just moments prior. Sakura said, "Good, if she needs anything, send her to the hospital." Shisui grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Itachi noticed but said nothing. "Do you need any help Blossom?" She looked at Shisui and said, "But I thought that you couldn't be seen in the village yet?" He grinned and took out an ANBU mask and placed it on his face. She turned and asked the Hokage, "Lord Third, could you spare him?"

The elderly shinobi nodded and said, "Shikaku give her a scroll giving her authority over the hospital under my official disaster decree. Shisui can be there as one of my representatives and show her around."

Sakura said she was going to check on the injured that were in this building first, and then would head over to the Hosiptal. Shikaku said that he would have the document delivered to the room downstairs. She smiled at the group and gave them a respectful bow as she raced downstairs to help the wounded. Shisui followed her with a quick wave of his hand and a small nod from his best friend.

The group directed their attention back to the massive undertaking before them. Itachi was discussing plans on how the village would recover and then asked how Inoichi was doing with Obito. Shikaku was about to answer him, when Kakashi walked in and reported that most of the injured were making their way to the hospital.

Together, they assessed the total damage and how long it had taken the clans to gather and defend the village. Sarutobi placed a hand on Itachi's shoulder and said, "Thanks to you my boy, we suffered little damage and you were able to unite all of the clans together."

Itachi looked down and said, "But still… it took too long. There was still loss of life because of it and that is inexcusable."

Shikaku understood what he was saying and looked at the young man and said, "Just remember that you cannot control everything. You did as best as you could with what you had and led everyone in the heat of battle. You did well, do not forget that. People will look at you for guidance now. What you did improved the village's views on your clan. Not only were, you the heir, a leader to your own clansmen, but people from other clans followed your orders and think highly of you now more than ever before."

Sarutobi looked proudly at Itachi and said, "Son, I want you to be in charge of the rebuilding efforts, I know that you will treat everyone fairly and assess every situation with a keen eye."

The recovery was going to be extensive but they still had much work to do and Itachi knew that they needed to get Obito to talk about what the Akatsuki and more importantly Madara had been planning. Kakashi offered to go and talk with him down in T & I. Shikaku thought about it for a second and said, "Sure go ahead, I think he might be resistant at first, but it would probably be best for the both of you to talk."

Kakashi headed downstairs and was worried about what he was about to do. He had an inkling of fear in his heart at seeing his former teammate but then saw Sakura standing at the end of the hall looking at him.

He wanted to thank her for saving his life, but was now shy that she had seen his face. Sakura looked at him and said, "Kakashi, how are you feeling?" He looked around the hall and said, "I'm fine…"

She walked up to him and placed a hand on his arm and said, "Don't make it weird Kakashi… I won't tell anyone ok. You know that I would have never invaded your privacy… I'm just glad that you are alive."

He ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, "Sakura… thanks for saving me…" She placed a hand over his masked covered cheek, where she had previously placed a kiss and said, "I could never give up on you…" She looked far off to the side and whispered, "I could not lose you again…"

He leaned down and whispered, "You won't…" she felt a quick kiss on her temple but it wasn't his usual masked cover kiss he always gave her, it was warm and by the time she looked up he was pulling up his mask and walking away towards T & I.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for a short chapter, I have been working a lot and didn't have enough time to write today. For my dear guest reviewer Buu... I really appreciate your review, just know that last ch ended in Itachi's view, not Sakura's. Shisui is not a throw away character and still has some story left so please just wait a bit... This story is far from over, I still have lot's more to write. Their relationship's are still going to develop some more and I hope that I can deliver a great ending. Love you all!


	24. Chapter 24 Something Just Like This

"Sakura, you have to stop and eat something!" Shisui was pacing back and forth behind her. "In a minute, I just have to treat four more patients and then go over to the other medics that are treating the wounded on the first floor. I have to make sure…"

Shisui grabbed her by her shoulders and said, "You are going to go into chakra exhaustion if you don't stop this instant!" She looked wide eyed at the man before her. He had concern written all over his face and it surprised her enough to make her stop and assess her situation. It had been three days since Obito attacked the village. Since then, she had eaten twice, maybe… and had gotten maybe six hours of sleep total.

The medics at the hospital were able to handle minor wounds and set broken bones, but their chakra control to stop internal bleeding and heal major penetrating injuries was beyond them. Sakura had taken over those cases, with Shisui's ever watchful eye on her.

He was seeing the signs of deterioration and had tried to stop her many times. He grabbed her hands and said, "Sakura! Look at me!" She was distracted so he cupped her chin and brought his face mere inches from hers and said, "You will look at me and you will listen." That got her attention. "I am going to take you out of this room and you will eat properly and then get some sleep." "But…but... the four…" she stammered. He was serious and said, "But nothing. You will trust in the medics to do their job for the next twelve hours while you rest."

Shisui placed his ANBU mask back on and grabbed her by the arm as he opened the door and went into the hallway. He saw another medic and said, "I have to take her to rest, make sure that her patients are taken care of" The medic saw the worn-out woman that had performed miracles in the operating room for the last two days and said, "I will make sure of it. She has our eternal gratitude."

He picked her up, she was dead tired to protest anyway, and then flashed out of the hospital in an instant. He took her to the administrative offices across the hospital and went to the upstairs offices. It was there he found a couch and laid her down as she was slipping off into sleep. He woke her and said, "No… Blossom you have to eat first, it is how you will regain your strength." He had taken out the package of food that he had bought her an hour ago and although it was cold now, it was enough. He took out one rice ball and brought it to her lips.

She wasn't aware what she was being offered, but with Shisui's soft encouragement she opened her mouth and took a bite. She didn't taste the food, she just chewed and swallowed, her mind still running on what she still needed to do and what was to come. Shisui gave her some water and said, "Good, my Blossom. Eat… you are doing great." She finished most of what Shisui offered and by that time she could barely keep her eyes open. He pulled her into his lap and she fell asleep instantly.

The way her eyelashes fluttered closed as she sighed and curled up further into his chest was a sight that he would not forget. He caressed her cheek and whispered, "Sakura… I wish it were me you would settle down with… I know that I could make you happy. Maybe have a family… have you work in the hospital… Make you mine every night… and make you smile every morning. I know I can do it, I see it in your eyes when you smile… I know you are happy when I make you smile, but… is it enough." He continued to caress her gently as she fell further into sleep.

He closed his eye and gently secured his arms around her as he fell asleep with the woman that captivated his thoughts since he was reborn that night at the edge of the river.

* * *

Kakashi was back in the interrogation department and he was not looking forward to seeing Obito in the state that he was in the day before. The man had lost all interest in life and no emotions ran through him, no hate, anger, thirst for revenge, nothing. Kakashi could have at least understood those emotions, it's as if the Obito that he saw was a shell of a man. There was nothing and Kakashi didn't like it.

He approached the cell in which he was being kept. He was still sitting in the same position that he left him in yesterday. Kakashi shook his head and pulled up a chair right outside the cell in plain sight of the seal that was now permanently etched on his teammate's body. He wondered what Itachi had done in his mind to have Obito stare off into space like it was the most interesting thing in the world. The silence was maddening and Kakashi sighed and put his hands on his knees and held his breath and let it out slowly. He whispered, "Obito… I'm sorry I was so weak… I'm sorry I was arrogant… I'm sorry I couldn't protect her."

Obito blinked and his eyes moved in Kakashi's direction. Kakashi continued, "It was horrible when she was kidnapped and I went crazy with anger at the sight of the men that took her. I was just thinking about killing everyone who had put their filthy hands on her… I thought about how you would have reacted and couldn't stop my hand to be filled with lightning, aiming at the Kirigakure nin that was in front of me and I didn't even register when Rin stepped in front of my attack…"

At this, Obito turned and looked directly at him. He could see the red around his eyes and the moisture gathering there. Kakashi continued, "She tried to tell me that she wanted to die… She couldn't do it herself… She asked me and I refused… I had sworn to keep her safe and I failed. I failed her… you… myself." There was a tear that fell from his eye but he kept going, "I can still see her blood on my hands… She smiled right before she died… She said she did it to protect the village, to protect the village that you wanted to be the leader of. It was her way in sharing your dream of being Hokage." Kakashi looked down and could no longer hide his tears. He had never opened up to anyone about this.

Obito saw the broken man in front of him and remembered Itachi's words about how much this had pained his former teammate. He asked, "Do you love this girl you are with?"

Kakashi suddenly looked up at the sudden question. He answered, "Sakura?" Obito nodded. Kakashi looked at him and said, "She is important to me." Obito sensed that something was missing and raised a single eyebrow asking him to elaborate. Kakashi said, "I won't lie to you. I didn't know her until Itachi showed us what our future would be if we didn't stop you. You saw what she lived through… what your older self said when he sent her here! I couldn't let it happen, to see you destroy what you were always fighting to protect when we were teammates."

There was a moment of silence and Obito said, "Forgive me… I was blinded by rage. I sought only revenge." Kakashi stood up and got closer to the cell. He said, "Obito we have a journey ahead of us and we can either continue to live in the past and not move on, or… we can move forward and seek a brighter future, the future she would have wanted us to have."

Obito looked up and said, "She always said she would be watching over me, huh?" Kakashi nodded and said, "She sure did…" Obito sighed and said, "So what is going to be done about me now?" Kakashi looked down and then said, "I don't know Obito, but that will be for the Hokage to decide… would you tell us what the Akatsuki are planning though?"

"Yeah… it's not like there are any use to me anymore…" Obito looked down at his hands and said, "I really messed everything up, I'm such an idiot." There was a sad smile on his face but he said, "I'm ready to talk, bring whoever is willing to listen. I won't hold anything back."

Kakashi nodded and disappeared through the door. Obito looked up at the ceiling of his cell and said to himself, "Rin, I hope you are watching… this is the first step in my road to redemption." There was a warmth that spread through his heart at the thought of Rin and he felt that for the first time, he was doing the right thing.

* * *

Itachi sat in the conference room and was listening to the ramblings of one of the elders. His head was pounding. He tried to suppress the pain by pressing the bridge of his nose, a vain attempt on his part. He kept thinking that these backward notions were the main reason why there couldn't be lasting peace. There were too many people who were not willing to open their minds to the possibility of learning from one another as opposed to secrecy and betrayal.

Shikaku went to sit next to him and whispered, "You better get used to this… These are the men that you will have to deal with if you are going to want to make changes in this world." The Uchiha heir sighed and shook his head as he muttered, "Gods help me if this is what I have to endure…" Shikaku laughed lightly and said, "Son, do you know that Lord Third has recommended you for the position of Godaime Hokage. He has already sent his request to the Jounin Council."

Itachi slowly turned his head towards the Nara leader, a look of disbelief in his eyes. The genuine surprise amused Shikaku and he said, "Kid, you have my recommendation, as well as many of the Clan Leaders… Hiashi has surprisingly been a great advocate for your nomination. After what we went through, the village saw your willingness to protect it from any type of danger and effectively lead everyone as a single united entity. Council proceedings started last night and I believe it won't take long for your nomination to be official and then voted on."

Itachi was stunned that he was actually at a loss for words. Inoichi walked over and chuckled at the look that the young Uchiha had. He joked, "Shikaku, did you just scare our future leader into silence?"

Words were not being formed and Itachi was still processing what he had just been told. They both laughed lightly and said, "Itachi, don't worry we will be here with you every step of the way. We believe in you." "You know that we wouldn't recommend just anyone, you have earned our trust through your hard work and loyalty. We couldn't think of a better person to become our next Hokage."

Itachi stared at the current Hokage that was sitting across the room listening to one of the aides. As their eyes met, Sarutobi gave Itachi a warm smile and a slight nod. Itachi's heart began beating a bit faster and he couldn't believe that his unspoken dream was actually going to become a reality. He couldn't believe that this was happening. He couldn't wait to tell his best friend that their dream was closer than ever.

* * *

Shisui stirred and felt a warmth surround his body. He nuzzled closer to the warmth and felt the softness that enveloped him. He sighed and began wake up from the beautiful dream he was having. As he woke up he noticed that Sakura was still asleep in his arms. His right arm had fallen asleep but he dared not move her. He was scared that if he did, this wonderful spell would be broken and he would never get it back.

Sakura had given him his life back and he was truly blinded by what he saw in her. He wanted her… He wanted those lips… he wanted his name to escape her lips at night. This sweet torture was wearing down his willpower. She sighed and moved further into his lap as she made herself comfortable. There was a sudden pull deep within him and he was walking a very dangerous line. Her lips were full and slightly open giving her a precious pout. He caressed her jawline and ran his thumb over her bottom lip.

She groaned and his need increased ten-fold. She would be the end of him. Right now, he didn't care who walked in or if the world was crashing down outside. He ventured further and pulled her bottom lip a bit further down exposing her mouth to him. His tongue unconsciously wet his lips and he leaned down a bit closer to her. She looked so vulnerable for a second, and he reconsidered his next action. He wanted to kiss her… no, he needed to kiss her, but he didn't want to take advantage of her. If he was going to kiss her, he wanted her to be awake and willing.

Reluctantly he pulled back and tried to calm his nerves. She woke up a few minutes later and looked at the very red face of the one and only Shisui Uchiha. She smiled and said, "Good morning Shisui." His thoughts were not helping him at all, _'If only she would say that to me every morning and wake up in my arms?'_ He pushed those thoughts away and said, "Hey Blossom… You look good." She nodded and said, "I really feel rested." Again, his wayward thoughts screamed _, 'You wouldn't feel rested if you truly spent the night making love to me.'_

There was a blush on his cheeks and she put one of her hands on his darkening cheeks and asked, "Are you ok?" He could only nod. She was hungry and her stomach also made its presence known at that moment. It was embarrassing for her but Shisui thought it a welcoming distraction. He said, "Come Blossom… let's get you some breakfast and then a shower. I can't wait till your hair is back to normal. I can see some pink peak out but these ends are now a gray color.

She agreed and asked, "Do you know where Kakashi lives? I can go and take a shower there and get a change of clothes." He wanted to refuse, but saw the logic and relented. He asked, "Do you have a key?"

She nodded and they made their way to Kakashi's house. They entered and Shisui took a seat in the couch as she made her way to the bedroom to get her clothes and take a shower.

The hot water was heaven sent. Her muscles were stiff and she felt her body begin to relax with each spray of hot water. Sakura washed her hair a few more times and was able to get most of the dye out. Tsunade's trick had worked and it was easier to remove the dark dye from her light locks. By the time that she was done, her hair was beginning to look more like her natural color. She changed and walked out of the bathroom.

When she came back to the living room she saw Shisui dosing off on the couch. She cleared her throat and he woke up instantly. She looked like an angel and her hair was pinker than it had been which he reached out and touched. He brought a couple of strands to his lips and kissed it while looking deep into her eyes.

He didn't mean to say it out loud but he whispered, "I can get lost in your eyes…" Sakura gasped and stayed still as he came in closer. She could feel his breath on her lips and she was sure that he could hear how fast her heart was beating. Shisui's hand came up to her hair and as he ran his fingers towards the back of her head, he commanded her, "Stay still…" Like she could move if she wanted to; her feet were rooted to the ground with the tension between them. For some reason, the authority in his voice sparked something inside her. She both feared and liked how her body reacted to him.

Shisui was but a breath's away from her lips and was coming in closer when Kakashi came in through the door and slammed the door with a bit too much force. The white-haired ninja said, "Am I interrupting anything?" She jumped back a bit and covered her blushing face as she turned and ran into the bedroom. She was trying to catch her breath. She wasn't sure if this is what she wanted. She was sinfully attracted to Shisui and yet her heart clenched at the thought of another pair of dark eyes that also sweetly tormented her dreams.

Shisui glared at Kakashi for his damn timing and said, "What the hell are you doing here, pervert?!" Kakashi laughed and said, "Look who is talking? If anything, you are the pervert, coming to MY house, trying to flirt with MY girl!" Shisui grabbed Kakashi by the edge of his shirt and said, "She is not your girl!" Kakashi grinned under his mask and said, "She sleeps in _my_ bed, with me, and in the eyes of the whole village she is MY girl." Shisui's possessiveness was reaching new boundaries. He seethed, "You know it's just a cover for the mission. If you laid your filthy hands on her I will kill you, then have her bring you back so I can kill you again!"

Kakashi was having fun and teased, "Like she would let you… If you haven't noticed… I seem to be important in her life as well. It looks to me that you will have to deal with me one way or the other. Unless… you would like to see her cry once more?"

Shisui was fuming and said a bit too loudly, "Sakura let's go!" She didn't answer. Both ninja's spread their senses and couldn't feel her. Kakashi barged into his room and found a note on his bed and the window open. He read it out loud, _'If you guys are going to keep fighting, I will not be put in the middle. I need to clear my mind and will be back in thirty minutes. I expect both of you to be here and be civil between each other. Maybe get to know each other. Sakura'_

Shisui looked out the window and could feel her chakra signature at the nearby park. He sighed and said, "So what do you have to eat in this place." Kakashi shook his head and said, "Come on you damn brat… She will be upset if we are still mad at each other." The pair went to the kitchen and Kakashi took out a bottle of Sake. This might be the longest thirty minutes of his life.


	25. Chapter 25 Like a Stone

She made her way towards the park. She knew that she still had some time before she had to make it back to the hospital. Tsunade was supposed to have gotten back to the village last night and would begin helping run the administrative side of the hospital and begin to show the medics some new techniques.

As the kunoichi got to the edge of the park she noticed her younger self throwing some shuriken at a target in front of her. Sakura stood there watching how the young girl missed horribly but would still go back and pick up all of her weapons and get back in stance and repeat the process all over again. It looked like she had already been here for a while judging by the sweat on her brow.

The sight before her made her smile. Her younger self had found something to strive for and it made her feel proud to know that maybe, this time around, little Sakura wouldn't have to suffer so much as a child.

Little Sakura noticed the pink hair on Sakura's head and stopped mid throw and gawked at her. She ran up to the older kunoichi and said, "Hey… you have the same hair color as me!" Sakura nodded and said, "I sure do! Are you practicing?" Little Sakura nodded and said, "Yeah, but I am not that good right now… But Uchiha-san said that I needed lots of practice. Ummm…. Can you tell me how you healed her leg?"

Sakura said, "Well honey, you need to practice your chakra control before we can move onto that. Have they taught you that in school yet?" The young girl shook her head and said, "I read about it, but they haven't shown us yet." Sakura patted her head and said, "It's ok, you have to learn the fundamentals before you move on; it will make you stronger in the long run." The young girl looked at her shuriken and then at the target. She readied her stance once more and threw it. It hit the trunk of the tree this time, but was still way off the target.

Sakura noticed the bit of frustration on the girl's face but then heard the smooth voice of Itachi call out as he walked towards them, "You are doing great little one, look how much you improved. Keep going and I am sure that you will make it." Little Sakura turned to the young man that stood close to Sakura and with a slight blush on her cheeks she stuttered, "I…Itachi-san! You were watching me?!" He smiled as he took two steps and knelt beside her. "I was, and I can honestly say that your fierce determination will help you achieve anything you set your mind to. Just look how a few hours of practice already improved your aim."

Little Sakura noticed how she had begun by throwing the shuriken in every which way, some landed in front of her, some behind her, many not even close to the vicinity of the tree itself, but… the last one hit the trunk of the tree. The girl smiled and readied herself once more. Itachi helped her move into a more comfortable stance by adjusting her throwing arm and pointing her foot towards the target. He then instructed her how to focus on the target and how to flick her wrist rapidly to give the star enough velocity to pierce the wood.

Her next throw landed at the edge of the target and she swirled around and hugged Itachi giggling at how she managed to hit it this time. She exclaimed, "Did you see that?! I am sure that I will hit the center in no time!" Itachi grinned and said, "Little one, you are amazing. Keep it up and you will surpass my little brother." At the thought of young Sasuke, little Sakura blushed even deeper and she said, "You think so?" Both Sakura and Itachi nodded at the same time. She ran up to the target and tried to get the shuriken that was stuck high above her. Itachi looked at Sakura and winked at her and then ran to catch up with little Sakura. He picked her up and put her on his shoulders so that she could reach the target and take out her shuriken.

The sight of Itachi with little Sakura was so precious that she began thinking of what he would be like with his own children. They came back to where Sakura was standing and Itachi gave her a quick kiss on her cheek to try to get her back from her daydream. Little Sakura giggled and said, "Itachi-san… do you like her?" He looked deep into Sakura's green eyes and wholeheartedly said, "Yes… I do little one, I like her very much."

Sakura touched her cheek and felt her face warm as a smile adorned her face at the sight of Itachi swinging little Sakura around as he placed her on the ground. He looked at the young girl and said, "If you excuse us, little one, I would like to take Sakura somewhere for a moment." The girl smiled and said, "Like a date?!" Sakura blushed and Itachi grabbed her hand and said, "Well… if she accepts, yeah, I would love to take her out on a date."  
Sakura's eye's widened and once the shock of her being asked out on a date wore off, she nodded.

Itachi kept a firm grip on her hand and said, "Keep practicing little one!" Little Sakura waved them off as she looked back at the tree and began throwing her shuriken once more.

As Itachi did not relinquish his hold on her hand as they went to a secluded area near the edge of the village. Sakura had visited this place many times as a chunnin and thought that it was one of the most peaceful spots in Konoha. It was where the river entered the village and was diverted into the many waterways that helped supply the lush greenery of Konohagakure. She was surprised that Itachi knew of this place.

When they were near she asked, "Itachi, how do you know of this place?" He looked back and smiled as he answered her, "I come here when I need some time to think. I love the sounds of the water and the view of the village from high up on the trees. It helps remind me of what is important in my life." He continued, "Do you like it here?" She nodded and said, "I used to come here often when Naruto and Sasuke left the village. It was the only place where I could escape to. The hospital was always busy, if I was at the Hokage Tower Tsunade-sama always but me to work, and seeing my friends with their teammates made me sad that my own where out there in the world and I was left behind…"

He took her up high on one of the branches that overlooked the edge of the outer wall and sat down with her. He looked at her and said, "If this brings back bad memories we can always go somewhere else…" She shook her head and gripped his hand as she said, "Itachi… Thank you for bringing me here. What I have gone through has made me who I am today… It would be nice to make different memories here and begin to see it as a peaceful place once more."

He smiled as they swung their legs below and said, "Thank you for giving me that honor…" She looked at her village and said, "It truly is a beautiful sight…" He was staring straight at her and couldn't agree more. There was a connection that he now had with her and he was not going to let it go. He wanted to share so much of himself with her and have her do the same but knew that it would take time. After all, the Itachi Uchiha of her time was not the easiest to understand, so he vowed to never hide his true self from her, just as he had vowed to be himself around Shisui and Sasuke.

At the thought of his best friend he said, "I see Shisui has been taking care of you…" She chuckled and said, "That man deserves a medal for stopping me from going into chakra exhaustion." He stored that bit of information away and would later thank his friend for making sure that she was not overdoing it.

She said, "I left him and Kakashi at the house. They were arguing over me, so… I left out the window and told them to make up before I returned." Her smile faded as she looked down and said, "Itachi… will you and Shisui be alright?" He knew what she meant and said, "I think we both care about you enough that we would like you, and whoever you might choose, to be happy. I'm not gonna say it won't hurt, but I know that we can overcome anything."

She nodded and looked back at her village. She sighed and then said, "Do you think I will ever find a way back to my own dimension?" Itachi put an arm around her and she leaned into his chest. Her tears on the verge of overflowing. She was home, yet she was still adrift in a time that was not hers.

The sudden awareness of what was bothering her made Itachi feel like he had failed her in some way. He kissed the top of her head and said, "Shikaku has been pondering the possibility of how to send you back. Especially now that we have Obito under our custody… but, I am afraid that no one here possess the skill, or the amount of chakra needed to open a rift in time and space. Not even Obito's Kamui in your dimension could do it." She understood what he was saying and it made her sob with grief that she might never see her friends again. She was fulfilling her mission to save Konoha here, but at the cost of never seeing her loved ones again.

Itachi hugged her close and she curled up into him. He brought her onto his lap and he leaned back into the trunk of the tree, supporting his and her weight easily. She sobbed, cried, and bargained to any god to help her friends in her dimension. She was distraught, and he could only offer her the comfort of his arms. She continued to release all of her grief until she exhausted herself and fell asleep. He had been gently running his fingers through her soft pink hair, that was uniquely hers, and had been placing soft kisses on her head, her forehead, and her temple ever so often. She kept her head on his chest and her hand over his heart. He never wanted her to move from this position, it was a special gesture in her part because he had told her how his heart belonged only to her. He loved that she even did it unconsciously.

He let her rest a few more minutes and then decided that if she had left Kakashi and Shisui alone, they might need to make their way back before they ripped the village apart looking for her.

Itachi deftly made his way back to Kakashi's house with her securely in his arms. As he approached the house he noticed Shisui, in his full ANBU uniform, ready to go in search of the pink haired woman. Kakashi was on the roof of his house scanning the vicinity and was also fully armed as if he was expecting to be ambushed.

Itachi continued to walk in his normal pace up the steps to Kakashi's front door. He rolled his eyes when both shinobi dropped from the roof and landed right in front of him, deep questions in their eyes. Itachi raised one eyebrow and then looked at the sleeping woman in his arms and mouthed, "Open the door."

Kakashi reacted first upon seeing Sakura's sleeping face and opened the door. He stepped out of the way to let them pass as Shisui followed silently behind them. Itachi was considering taking her to the bed so she could be more comfortable, but realized that it was Kakashi's bed and he would be damned if he placed the woman that he cared for in another man's bed, willingly. He opted for the nearby couch and gently placed her head on one of the cushions and grabbed a nearby blanket to put over her.

They stepped into the kitchen and Itachi noticed the half empty bottle of sake on the table. Kakashi was the first to say in a hushed voice, "Is she ok?" Shisui had a concerned look in his face but also looked like he had been the one to drink more than half of the sake himself. Itachi whispered, "What I would like to know is why the hell you are drinking this early in the morning?"

Shisui glared at Kakashi and pointed at the masked ninja saying, "He started it! He…" Itachi held one hand up and said, "I don't care who started it… just don't do it again. And to answer your question Senpai… yes she is ok." The group of men looked towards the couch where she was sleeping and Shisui asked, "Then if she is ok, why are her eyes red and swollen? It looks like she had been crying?!"

Itachi told them how she was upset that they still couldn't find a way to get her back to her dimension and how much she missed her friends. Kakashi asked, "So does that mean that if she had the opportunity, she would leave us?" Itachi shook his head and whispered, "I don't know…" Shisui felt like a kunai had just pierced his heart. Could his Blossom truly feel so alone that she wanted to leave them if she had the chance.

Itachi noticed the dark look on his best friends face and tried to distract him by saying, "Hey brother… thanks for making her stop and rest. She told me that you somehow managed to make her eat before she got chakra exhaustion."

Shisui looked back at the young woman and smiled. Itachi continued, "She even said that you deserved a medal or something…" Itachi grinned at the sappy look on Shisui's face but said nothing. Shisui tried to keep his emotions guarded as he remembered how he held her when she fell asleep. He would have loved to tell his best friend about it, but… since he was also falling for the same girl he chose to keep quiet.

Kakashi looked at Itachi and said, "Well now that Obito is back in the village… is Sakura still going to stay here with me?" Shisui turned around and said, "Of course not! She no longer has to pretend to be your girlfriend. Plus, her hair is back to her normal color and she has even talked with her younger self. I don't think she has to pretend to like you anymore." Kakashi rolled his eyes and said, "She was never pretending... Every single blush was real and… they were for me."

Itachi saw that they were about to go head to head, so he got in between them and pushed both of them in opposite directions while whispering, "Will you two shut the hell up!" He was going to lose his patience and their back and forth bickering was grating his nerves, it's like he was back in the negotiation room with the elders.

Sakura stirred and she felt the warmth of the blanket envelop her. She didn't know what time it was, but suddenly remembered that she had to be back in the hospital. She got up and began to panic, "Why didn't you guys wake me up? I have to go to the hospital!"

Itachi said, "I can walk you over, it's on my way and I would like to treat you by getting a quick bite to eat. I mean, if you don't mind... I'm sure that with these two you haven't had the time to get some breakfast." She grinned and agreed. Shisui and Kakashi were left in the kitchen staring at each other thinking how Itachi had pulled that kind of game right in front of them.

The pair said their goodbyes and as Itachi closed the door he looked back and gave them a smirk, as if telling them that he had won this round. The dumbfounded shinobi stared out the window as Itachi put his arm over her shoulder and Sakura leaned into him slightly. Shisui muttered under his breath, "Dammit who the hell did he learn that from?!" Kakashi couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed out loud at the expense of the Uchiha before him.

As the pair walked towards a small teashop, Itachi asked what she would like to eat. Sakura blushed and said that whatever he picked was fine with her since she didn't know what was good to eat around there. They went into the shop and after they placed their order and sat in one of the corner tables, Sakura asked how things were going in the Uchiha district. Itachi sighed and said, "Well there are very few people who are supporting the coup now that Shisui took care of them, but clan politics will always be clan politics." She listened intently with genuine interest, so he continued, "The majority of the Police Force is now upset at how my father handled the attack. It really is frustrating, especially since they are posing many questions as to when I will take over…"

She smiled and said, "I bet you would do a great job because they all see you as a leader who doesn't just give orders, he joins the ones that are having to execute them as well." Itachi chuckled and said, "Yeah a real _'man of the people,'_ huh?" She lightly jabbed his side and said, "You know what I mean Itachi, you would be a great leader and people do follow you and listen. You have a gift…"

Their food arrived and they ate as they updated each other in their daily routines. She was surprised to know that his clan still kept an eye at his coming and goings. She asked how he was able to get away and he just winked and said, "I'm just that good…" she blushed and tried to continue eating to distract herself from his handsome face.

When they finished they walked to the hospital but before they got there Itachi pulled her close and took her to a secluded area near the hospital alleyway.

He grabbed her hand and said, "I might be coming off as too forward but… I want to get to know you better. I want you to know who I truly am. Not just from what you or I saw in our memories, but from what you see and feel right now." He brought her hand up to his chest, so she could feel his beating heart.

She gently caressed the area right above his heart through the fabric of his shirt. He longed for her fingers to touch his skin directly. She knew that this was real and it scared her to know that Shisui might feel the same way about her as well. He could see the indecision in her eyes and he gently lifted her chin and confessed, "No matter how long it takes, my heart will patiently wait for you…" With those parting words, he moved her hair out of her forehead and placed a tender kiss upon her seal. He leaned into her and breathed out, "I will come get you later on for that date you promised me."

Before she could say anything in response, he disappeared and she was left to think about what had just happened to her.


	26. Chapter 26 Stand By Me

Shisui paced back and forth in the office where Sakura had been working out of for the last couple of days. He figured that she would make it here first to pick up the charts of the patients that she had been working on the day before. Sure enough, he heard steps approach the door and he placed the ANBU mask over his face. Sakura opened the door and was not surprised to see Shisui in his ANBU mask sitting on her desk with his arms crossed over his chest.

She smiled and said, "How were things with you and Kakashi?" He replied, "How about you tell me how things with you and Itachi are going?" She looked right at him and decided not to take the bait. She knew that when Shisui was around Kakashi he became a bit too possessive about her. She looked in his direction and sighed as she shook her head. He softened a bit and took his mask off and uncrossed his arms as he approached her. "Look, I just don't know how to act around you anymore. The stupid closet pervert has me thinking all kinds of things… telling me you sleep next to…" he trailed off and looked at the floor.

She sighed and said, "Shisui I appreciate how much you are worried, but please don't be like that." He raised his hands in confusion and asked, "Like what?" She raised one eyebrow and then picked up her charts and made her way to the door. She turned around and said, "Like the possessive animal that you are turning into." She laughed at him and then stuck her tongue out at him in a playful way.

He put his mask on the desk as he smirked at her and then reached out to catch her by her arm, pulling her into him. He whispered into her ear, "So you want me to become a possessive animal, huh? Your wish is my command my Blossom." He nuzzled into her neck and growled lightly as he placed a kiss on the nape of her neck sending shivers down her spine. He leaned further down and kissed her shoulder as he said, "You bring out these emotions from deep…" _another kiss on her shoulder,_ "deep…" _a kiss on her neck,_ "deep within me…" he felt her shiver and then lean back into him as he sighed and whispered, "Stick out that tongue at me one more time and I will be forced to kiss you. This _'animal'_ you say I become… be careful or he might want to come out and play." She felt how his arms contracted and the toned muscles rippled through the thin material of his ANBU shirt.

He was clouding her judgement and she said, "Shisui… I have to get to work." She grabbed her charts once more and said, "I'll see you for lunch… ok?" He waved her off and said, "Ok… Ok… I will pace here in this _'cage'_ you put me in." She grinned and took a step back from him and said, "It's not a cage Shisui, it's just an office." She placed a kiss on his cheek and said, "If you're good I'll bring you back a treat."

Sakura grinned and ran out of the room before he could pull her back in again. Shisui just stood by the door and smiled at the retreating figure. He made his way back into her office and started to go over the plans that Itachi had given him for when they would confront Danzo.

* * *

Kakashi stepped into the Hokage's office and knelt before him, "You summoned me Lord Third?" Sarutobi said, "Kakashi, please get up… I need you for a special mission. Now come and listen close my boy. This is of the utmost importance…" Kakashi saw the document that the Hokage had given him and once he read it he said, "Lord Third, I am honored that you would trust me with this information and this position. I will do my best to make sure that this gets done." The elder shinobi said, "Itachi is trusting you with this mission…"

Kakashi was leaving the tower, but as he was walking out he saw Itachi coming down the hall. The young Uchiha stopped as Kakashi approached and whispered, "Thank you for trusting me with this…" He showed him the scroll that the Hokage had just given him.

Itachi immediately smiled and put an arm around his senpai as he said, "You are one of the few people that I trust implicitly… I know that you can be lead on this."

Kakashi grinned under his mask and said, "For what it's worth, even though I give you a hard time… I'm honored that they chose you." Itachi said, "It's because you were hard on me that I was able to grow and learn…" He gave him a serious look and said, "Remember, no one is to know until you have everything set up on your part."

The white-haired ninja nodded and took his leave. Itachi walked up to the Hokage's office and knocked on the door. "Come in" Sarutobi said. The young man walked in and bowed respectful. The man behind the large desk shook his head and thought, _'No matter what, he will always be this way…'_

Itachi waited until his leader gave him permission to speak and said, "Lord Third, I have reason to believe that Root has been mobilizing and we have to be prepared." The elder shinobi pulled out his pipe and prepared to have a smoke. He looked at Itachi and said, "Don't worry about me… I don't want you spending any manpower on watching me. If Danzo makes a move we will be ready, and I expect you to lead your village as before. I believe that Danzo still doesn't know about Shisui and the less that man knows the better it is for the rest of us."

Itachi wanted to say something but he understood how his mentor felt, if it was him, he too would want others to be protected and use resources elsewhere, he replied, "I understand…"

As he puffed his pipe the older man looked at Itachi and smiled and said, "Don't worry so much my boy, now tell me how are things going in the district?" Itachi responded, "I'm still being followed by my father's closest advisors…" He thought _, 'But they are such amateurs that I always manage to get away from them with ease.'_

The older shinobi could see that Itachi was more annoyed by him being followed than angry at his father so he said, "It is expected from Fugaku, he was an excellent shinobi, but his eyes were clouded by those around him… How about Shisui, has he said anything about him yet?" Itachi shook his head.

There had been some closed-door discussions between his mother and father and the tension in his house was now even affecting Sasuke. Itachi appreciated that his mother was now taking a stand against everything that his father said, but he didn't want her to be sad on his account. Since he had spoken to his mother about Sakura, they had formed an even closer bond. She had confided in him that she knew about Shisui's "suicide" and had asked for his forgiveness in not being forthcoming prior.

His thoughts were interrupted when Sarutobi asked, "Speaking of Shisui… how is he doing?" Itachi had a smile on his lips and said, "He is fine, he is taking care of Sakura right now. Even though he has to hide his presence to everyone in the village, I know that he likes being back home. We are still making plans against Danzo and are prepared for anything that he might come up with."

"Good… Good… How is Sakura at the Hospital?" Itachi's eyes instantly brightened at the mention of Sakura and Sarutobi did not miss this. "She is making great progress in teaching the medics that we have. They all love her and are frightened of her at the same time. It really is amusing seeing how they are all willing to learn, but keep their distance in fear of her anger." The older man laughed and said, "Awww to be young and in your prime… I believe many feared and were in awe of Tsunade when she was young as well. It seems that our dear Sakura will have those medics in top shape in no time."

Itachi agreed and said, "If you will excuse me Lord Third. I have to meet up with Shisui to give him my latest intel." Sarutobi waved him off and said, "Go my boy, you and Shisui are a force to be reckoned with. I would hate to be on the receiving end of your wrath." Itachi grinned and said, "Sir, no one has yet to anger us to that extent." Itachi bowed and then left out the window.

He jumped from roof to roof until he got near to the hospital and he saw Sakura at a nearby stand picking up some food. He watched how she interacted with the shopkeeper and the kind smile that she gave everyone. He hopped down from the ledge of a window and then walked over to a stand and quickly bought what he needed. He caught up with Sakura and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned and was quickly assaulted by the fresh scent of flowers.

The small bouquet was touching and it looked like the flowers were handpicked because they were different and not arranged symmetrically. It looked like the flowers that he chose were not put together by a florist but by him in a simple bouquet.

She thought back to what Ino taught her and then realized that it wasn't about the arrangement itself but the meaning of the flowers that was prominent. She looked at the bouquet and then at Itachi's soft smile.

She looked down and noticed: Tulips _'declaration of love'_ ; gladiolus _'faithfulness'_ ; white carnation _'pure love'_ ; daisies _'loyal love'_. She was overwhelmed and took the bouquet and smelled the sweet fragrance as her eyes brightened as she saw the happiness in Itachi's smile. There was something inside her that made her heart accelerate ever so slightly with each of his smiles.

He understood the meaning of the flowers he bought and hoped that she understood his message. He took her bags and extended his hand out to her. She took it as he said, "Would it be ok if I accompany you?" She replied, "I was just picking up lunch. Want to join me?" He grinned and leaned down close to her as he said, "I would want nothing more."

People stared as they walked into the hospital but did not dare say anything as they passed by. Sakura was not paying too much attention to where she was going as she was telling him all about her day so far. Itachi expertly maneuvered them around the hospital and would only ask her questions to keep the conversation going. Soon, they were by the office and Shisui opened the door only to see how Itachi held her hand and she was holding a bouquet of flowers with the happiest look on her face.

Shisui narrowed his eye at Itachi but said nothing. He did not want to diminish her bright smile and just stepped to the side to allow them to enter the office. Itachi placed the bags on the desk as Sakura continued, "… So, by the time that we were able to close the wound, we had to replenish eight units of blood. There was so much to do but I was so happy when his vital signs started to stabilize."

Itachi smiled and said, "Do you want me to clear the desk?" Shisui started gathering his papers and stacked them on top of a nearby bookshelf. Sakura smiled and said, "Shisui, you don't mind if he joins us for lunch, right?"

It was a leading question but he just grinned and said, "Well my Blossom, it's been a while since we all ate together, it would be nice if this kid joined us." Itachi groaned and said, "Old man… You need to make yourself useful and bring some water for Sakura's flowers." She looked at the bouquet and then at Itachi and slightly blushed.

Shisui looked at the two people in front of him and shook his head and said, "Ok… wait here, let me look for something…" He was upset that Itachi had beat him in buying her flowers but, for her, he would put up with this. He didn't want to upset her and although he would have loved to have an intimate lunch with her alone, deep down he was happy to see his best friend with such a carefree look on his face. For now, he would let this pass and try to make up his time with Sakura later on.

They ate and it seemed that things were back to their comfortable banter that they always shared. Shisui made Sakura laugh, while Itachi grinned and would make witty comebacks. The atmosphere around them was not tense and it reminded each of them of their time at the Uchiha hideout when they had met.

Sakura grinned when Itachi found the small dessert that she had bought, it was a couple of sticks of dango and Shisui tried to sneak them all before Itachi snatched the plate away with a quickness that was too fast for the naked eye. She laughed but said, "Alright you two, I have to get back to work, I have a major surgery scheduled this afternoon and will have many students watching. I have to go, but you guys are welcome to stay here as long as you need to." Itachi took her hand and brought it up to his lips giving it a tender kiss. He leaned in and said, "I meant everything I said in that bouquet." She looked deep into his eyes and saw the sincerity in his words. She replied almost breathless, "I know… and I loved the flowers… Thank you." He gave her a soft smile and whispered, "I'll see you later then."

She looked back at him and said, "Yes… later…" Her mind was not working or articulating any other words at the moment. Shisui was cleaning the table and grabbing his papers as he waved her from the back of the room, "See ya later Blossom… I will be here when you get off your shift."

She smiled and said, "I'll be back later Shisui!" She left and the two men looked at each other and stayed silent for a minute. Shisui broke the tension first. "Itachi, this is harder than I thought…" The Uchiha heir looked back at the door that Sakura had just left through and said, "I know… I know…"

Shisui knew that if things got serious with Sakura and either of them, it might cause tension between both of them. As if Itachi could read his mind he said, "Brother… no matter what, you will always be an important part of my life and will never hate you." Shisui thought about his own feelings and responded, "Me too brother, I could never hate you either, although, I am pissed that you bought her flowers before I did and interrupted our lunch date."

Itachi laughed and said, "Really old man? It seemed to me that you quite enjoyed lunch even with me here." Shisui grinned and said, "Ok kid, let's go over these documents. What news do you have now about Danzo."

Itachi turned and said, "Danzo is mobilizing Root. Those poor kids in the foundation will be forced to fight soon. We need to move fast." Shisui squared his shoulders and said, "Ok… let's see what we have to work with."

Itachi looked at Shisui and said, "Ok, but before we begin… There is something that I need to tell you. I haven't told Sakura, Sasuke, or even my mother…" Shisui walked around the desk and stood right in front of Itachi and said, "Tell me… Itachi you know you can count on me…"

Itachi smiled and said, "You know I do, and I trust you with the lives of my most precious people. You are my best friend and my right hand in everything that I do… There is nothing that I could ever hide from you and I want you to continue to be a part of my lifelong dream of… " Shisui looked at him and then broke out into a smile and said, "Wait…. Do you mean that?! Did it happen… your dream?!" Itachi looked up at him a bit bashfully, but nodded, "Yeah brother… The official decree will be announced next month. The Fire Daimyo and the Jonin Council approved my election as the Fifth Hokage…"

* * *

A/N: I am so sorry for not updating for the last couple of days. I have been working a couple of night shifts in a row at the hospital and was really struck with writer's block for this chapter. For some reason, I couldn't get it to flow right and I couldn't move past the first few paragraphs. I hope this chapter is ok because I really felt that I was stuck on this part of the story. I felt that I was losing sight of Shisui's humor and Itachi's true nature with all of my drafts so I had to rewrite this chapter many times over. Thank you all for your patience and continued support.


	27. Chapter 27 All That I've Got

The surgery took longer than she expected and she was tired. Sakura walked back to the office and was thinking about everything that had happened since the attack. She was happy that she had the opportunity to improve Konoha's hospital and train some medic nin's in lifesaving techniques that they could use while on missions. She walked up the steps and saw Shisui once more at the door. He held it open for her and said, "You look tired Blossom." She nodded and said, "Yeah it was a long day, but I think that we do have some talented medics here. They pick up on the techniques quickly and I think that I will start an intensivist program for the medics that have the best chakra control. I am sure that they will exceed and be able to help many more."

He looked at her and how she was always thinking about how to help others. He really liked that about her. Shisui said, "Look… now that you don't have to stay with Kakashi anymore, how about you come with me to the Nara's compound?" She looked at him and said, "I would hate to impose on them, and to be honest I had applied for housing this afternoon during one of my breaks."

She saw how his smiled dimmed a fraction but he still said, "That's good to hear, at least you won't be having to deal with that closet pervert all the time…" She shook her head and said, "Shisui, please don't say that. I do enjoy his company. He reminds me of so much of what I left behind… I don't know how to describe it but Kakashi is the closest person that I have from my own time. Sasuke, Naruto, and my other friends are still so young right now and I wouldn't want to burden them with my memories. Kakashi is the only one that knows what I went through and can sorta think about what his older self would have done, and for that reason, I think we became friends. In my own time I knew of you, but not the real you, and Itachi was someone completely different to me."

Shisui understood her words and sat next to her as he said, "I'm sorry Sakura… It wasn't my intention… I mean, I didn't mean anything by picking a fight with Kakashi." She smiled and said, "So why do you guys always fight?"

He raised one eyebrow and looked at her and said, "We are both ANBU captains and I guess it just started as a friendly rivalry between us. He is just a year older than me so we used to hang out a lot but… I don't know… I guess when I found his stash of porn, I mean _'romance novels'_ in his locker and made fun of him that he started playing pranks on me… and I guess we just went with that, trying to one up each other."

He looked out the window and said, "If I sit down and think about it, I really don't have many real friends' other than Itachi and Kakashi. So yeah, sometimes we get on each other's nerves but I can't say I hate the man… He just knows which buttons to push to drive me over the edge."

She smiled and said, "I understand… I was like that with Ino Yamanaka, we were friends and rivals at the same time, but we grew stronger because of it." He looked at her and said, "You miss her?" She nodded and whispered, "I miss all of them… I see their young faces here and I wish that I could just go up to them and hug them and tell them how much I care for them…"

He heard her sniffle and grabbed a nearby tissue box and handed it to her. She took it and whispered, "Thanks…" He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her head and said, "Anytime…"

The pair sat on the couch for a good thirty minutes in silence and Sakura enjoyed every minute of it. She needed this calm and Shisui's presence was comforting. The moon shone through the window and Shisui said, "Are you hungry?" She nodded and got up and stretched her aching muscles. He saw how her lithe form stretched and he longed to hug her but felt that right now she just needed someone to listen so, he pushed his lust filled thought's away.

Sakura said, "Do you mind if we get some ramen?" She was feeling nostalgic and wanted the warm filling meal that her blonde teammate adored. He smiled and said, "Whatever you want my Blossom."

They packed their things and left the office. When they left the hospital, she noticed Kakashi was waiting for her across the street. She waved at him and Shisui shook his head but followed her.

She smiled and said, "Hey Kakashi, how are you doing?" He grinned under his mask and said, "I was waiting for you to come out of that dreadful place." She laughed and said, "You never liked hospitals, huh?" He shook his head and said, "No, they smell awful, the food is crap, and they are always intruding when you are trying to sleep." She grinned and said, "Yes, but they do take care of you when you are an inch from death." Kakashi gave her a sideways glance and said, "No, that would be you, not the hospital."

She gave him a gentle jab as he chuckled and said, "I came to tell you that I will be going on a mission for the next week. You can stay at my place if you would like." She put her hand on his arm and said, "When are you leaving?" He looked at her and said, "Tomorrow morning."

She looked up at Shisui and said, "Do you mind if he comes and has dinner with us?" Kakashi said, "No, it's ok if you have plans, I just wanted to let you know that you can still stay at my house before I left." Shisui remembered what she had just told him about how she viewed Kakashi and said, "Look, I think Sakura would enjoy your company before you leave, how about you take her for dinner and I will see you guys tomorrow."

Sakura was about to say something about them all having dinner together, but saw the look that Shisui was giving her. He leaned down and said, "It's ok Blossom. I understand… I'll see you tomorrow." With that he took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze as he jumped on top of the rooftops and made his way back to the Nara compound. He had a lot to think about and needed some space.

Kakashi noticed how Sakura looked towards the direction that Shisui left and cleared his throat, "So, uh… you wanted dinner?" She swirled back and smiled and said, "Yes, I want ramen."

He grinned and said, "Let's go…" The pair walked towards the ramen stand and Sakura was excited in filling in Kakashi with everything that was changing at the hospital. She asked how rebuilding was going and said, that most of the village was really embracing all of the help that Itachi was sending. He had mobilized the Military Police to help all sectors and the work was conducted fairly and overall, the image that the village had of the Uchiha clan was changing for the better.

Kakashi also told her that ANBU was playing a bigger role in missions, since most of the shinobi were in the village rebuilding he was going to be sent on various missions from now until things settled down.

She looked at him and said, "But only if you promise to come back and let me heal you properly after missions." He grinned and said, "Only if you ask nicely…" She punched him in the arm and said, "Don't forget that I can easily injure you as I can heal you." He chuckled but still rubbed his arm and said, "Ok, ok... I promise"

They got the meal to go and headed towards Kakashi's house. He opened the door and walked in. She walked into the kitchen and served his bowl so he could eat while she went and made a quick dessert for both of them.

When she sat down at the table, Kakashi had finished his bowl and was waiting for her to eat. She placed the cut-up persimmons and pears in a plate and started eating her ramen. The warm broth comforted her and she sighed in content. He asked, "Long day?" She nodded and said, "Yeah, it was…" She sighed and said, "Oh, I forgot to tell you… I applied for housing today. I hope to get an apartment soon." He said, "You know you are welcome to stay here with me as long as you like." She smiled and reached over and touched his hand and said, "I do appreciate that Kakashi, but I need to come to grips that I might never get to go back to my own time and I need to start building my own life here and now…"

He understood, but a part of him wished that she would stay, the few days that they shared together were changing him. He felt more connected with his peers and less isolated in grief. He guessed that now that Obito was here and he was able to talk about his past with him, he felt a huge burden lifted off of him but he would have to admit that he would miss her company.

He lightly grasped her fingers and said, "I'll be here if you need me and I am happy that you are trying to find some independence as well. I'm not gonna lie, I will miss your cooking but what's a bachelor to do… I guess back to take out it is…" Sakura knew what he was playing at and responded, "Look Kakashi, I get it… Don't worry, you will always be welcomed at my table so don't worry, I don't think that you will starve once I leave, so don't give me that drama."

He winked at her and said, "Thanks Sakura, as always you are looking out for the health and wellness of your fellow comrades." She laughed and said, "Eat up some of the fruit while I go put the dishes in the sink."

He ate half of the fruit but left most of the persimmons for her. He had noticed how much she enjoyed them. When she got back the first thing that she grabbed was a piece of persimmon and his hunch was right. She did like them best and he took note of that. She finished and then he said, "Go ahead and take a bath and relax. I will clean up… I have to get ready for my mission, so I will be here for a bit." She got up and said, "Thanks for being here for me Kakashi." He smiled as he watched her walk into the room and thought, _'Whoever she chooses will be a lucky man indeed…'_

She sat in the bathtub contemplating how her life had changed so much. She started to feel like she had a purpose here, like she was a part of something greater than herself, but somehow still felt homesick. She thought that if she had a place of her own she would somehow accept her new life and maybe set things straight in her life.

She looked at the calm water and thought about the turmoil in her heart. Shisui and Itachi... Itachi or Shisui… Itachi… Shisui… Her mind kept going in circles and her heart was confused.

She thought about Shisui and the way that he set her body ablaze. He was very forward and comfortable in her personal space. No one had ever dared approach, or talk to her as he did. They had all been too scared of her to even try, and the only guy that she had liked was off on a journey of power and revenge.

She wondered what Shisui's intentions were… Overall, she knew that he wasn't a bad person, he had protected her and been there for her when she needed him but she didn't know what the feelings they had between them were. She wanted to know if there was more than just a physical attraction.

She understood that her love for Sasuke started off as physical attraction, but without any reciprocated feelings, it turned into something that was warped and not true love at all. She didn't want that to happen with her and Shisui. Sasuke had played with her emotions when it would serve him and had hurt her many times over. She had slowly realized this and it took a long time for her to understand that what she had felt, in her own time, was not true love at all.

What her heart craved more than physical attraction, was someone to love her unconditionally, to truly see her as who she was, and love her with the same intensity that she loved them. She wanted someone that would challenge her, respect her, and stimulate her mentally as well as physically. She needed someone that wouldn't betray her or use her. She knew that she deserved better than that. Her heart was too hurt to go through betrayal again, so she knew that she had to really know what she was taking a chance on before she fell in love once more.

She sunk deeper in the warm water and began thinking about the flowers that Itachi had given her. She understood his message and thought to herself about how she felt towards him. She knew that there was a bond between them and if she was honest with herself she liked the attention that he gave her. He was genuinely interested in her and in getting to know her, his honest feelings and intentions were a stark contrast to what she experienced in her own time.

She hugged her body and sighed as she let her head rest on the edge of the tub and she closed her eyes, _'What to do… what to do…'_ she thought and then had her inner mind respond _, 'Follow your heart, be with the one that makes your heart feel right at home.'_

Home… She was forgetting what that felt like and she wondered if she would ever feel that way again. She finished her bath and dried herself. She put on her nightgown and made her way to the bed. She was exhausted and could still hear Kakashi in the other room getting his things together.

She closed her eyes for a bit. She opened her eyes when she heard the sound of the shower but fell back asleep. The next time that she slowly opened her eyes she felt the blanket tucked around her as she felt the bed dip with Kakashi's weight. He shushed her back to sleep and said, "Sleep Sakura… Rest for now…" She sighed and said, "Please… be… safe…" He pushed her hair out of the way and said, "I promise… Take care while I am gone."

She sighed and hugged the edge of her pillow as she fell deeper into sleep.

Kakashi looked out the window and noticed a familiar silhouette. He opened the window and stepped out into the nearby branch were the figure stood. He said, "Itachi, it's getting kinda late…" Itachi walked out of the shadows and said, "I'm sorry for the long mission, but there is also one thing that I need for you to do when you come back." Kakashi whispered, "Anything…"

Itachi looked at his senpai and said, "I need for you to start overseeing Obito's rehabilitation. He is a powerful shinobi and he would be an asset to our village. I think that maybe having him go on missions with you might make his see how he can help his village once more…"

Kakashi thought about it for a minute and said, "And if he were to defect once more…" Itachi said, "His seal is blood bound to you… there is no way that he could do that without you knowing. The reason why I believe that you two would be an unstoppable team is due to the fact that you share the same Sharingan. Having two shinobi of high caliber with the same Sharingan attacking from two sides will make people think twice about going toe to toe against the you guys. That, and having Obito's Kamui would be a great advantage in battle."

Kakashi pondered that and said, "There is truth in what you say, but how willing do you think Obito will be?" Itachi shrugged and said, "We won't know until we ask him. He still has a say in the matter, but from what I gather, he has been very cooperative with T & I."

Itachi looked towards the open window and noticed Sakura's sleeping face light by moonlight and Kakashi said, "Hey… Take care of her, she deserves so much more than what she has experienced. Get it together and either go for it, or let someone else make her happy. She doesn't need to be confused about all of this going on between you and Shisui."

Itachi looked at him and said, "Has she said anything?" Kakashi shook his head but said, "No, but she doesn't have to. I see the confusion in her eyes when she looks at the both of you." Itachi looked back at Sakura and promised himself that he would make a greater effort to make sure that she was happy no matter what.

Kakashi said, "Is that all you came to tell me?" Itachi said, "Yes, I know it's getting late and you have to leave in a couple of hours. Forgive me for keeping you up Senpai."

Kakashi waved him off and said, "Look you will be my leader in a few more weeks, I think you can drop the Senpai… it will only make me feel, older…" Itachi grinned and said, "Sure thing… Kakashi."

The Copy Ninja turned around and made his way back into his bedroom. He closed the window and got back in the bed and thought about what Itachi had just told him… Could he and Obito actually make a good team. He wondered for a bit and then closed his eyes for a few hours of sleep.


	28. Chapter 28 Call Me

The night was too long for Shisui. Sleep evaded him as his thoughts clamored for attention.

She was what he thought of each evening. Sakura. The silence in the room where he stayed was encompassing and it only made his thoughts louder and more prevalent.

Her light pink locks the color of cherry blossoms teased his memories. The soft skin of her neck and how he affected her with a simple touch, reminded him of how real she was. Her smile that could disarm him and make him feel like everything would be alright, helped him remember that there was good in this world that was worth fighting for.

Sakura, his blossom, seemed to bloom with her fierceness and devotion in helping others.

He knew that it would be hard to keep her just to himself. She would never willingly submit to a life of conformity, and he would never cage her in that situation. She challenged everything and made sure that it was for the betterment of others. It was for that reason, that his feelings for her changed from when they first met.

He had seen her memories, just like Itachi had, and he thought he knew who she was and could figure her out. He thought that being older would give him the upper hand when it came down between him and Itachi, but he had seen the looks his best friend gave her when she wasn't' looking. Never had he seen Itachi look at someone with the same intensity as when he looked at Sakura.

It hurt. It hurt to admit that he was seeing his best friend fall completely for her and that he was the one getting in the way… But, she hadn't turned either of them down, yet. He wondered and wondered what that meant and how that would affect their relationship down the line.

He thought of his clan and how she had come to intervene before his best friend went down a path that would forever change the lives of everyone that he knew.

He thought of how she saved him and gave him a second chance at life. She had no agenda, no struggle for power or revenge. She saved him because she was being herself, and saw someone in need. She put herself in harm's way to save a complete stranger and in doing so, depleted almost all of her chakra and left herself open for attack.

Shisui groaned and tried to cover his head with a pillow, as if that would help stop the thoughts in his head. He was usually able to fall asleep so easily but tonight, it seemed, that both his heart and his mind were in a battle all their own.

He remembered what she had said about feeling so alone in this dimension. The way that she explained how she felt about Kakashi and their newfound friendship made him think about all the times that he became a bit too possessive whenever Kakashi was around and how that must have made her feel.

 _'_ _Damn Shisui, you sure know how to make a mess of everything,_ ' he thought as he turned and threw the pillow off of him and covered himself with the blankets.

She was right… She was alone in this world and he could only imagine how scared she must have felt leaving everything that she had held dear, and fight someone of Kaguya's caliber, only to end up in a past dimension.

He felt a pang of guilt at how hard he had been on Kakashi in front of her and promised that he would behave a bit more when she was around. After all, she was bravely looking towards the future and trying to carve her way into this lifetime to make her own difference.

Shisui sighed and decided that he needed some fresh air. He changed into his ANBU gear and grabbed his mask as he walked out into the darkness.

First, he took a walk around the Nara compound. The cool nighttime breeze did nothing to cool his thoughts.

His feet led him to the Hokage mountain where he overlooked the village and had his eyes in the direction of his clan's lands. A sigh escaped his lips as he thought about his home. He wanted to walk through the small streets, visit his old hangout spots, maybe buy some of Itachi's favorite dango and eat half before he even offered him any.

Thinking about his home brought a sad smile to his face. Itachi had helped him quash the coup but Fugaku still refused to talk about Shisui and his apparent suicide with anyone. As far as anyone else was concerned he was still out on a mission. Itachi had told him that Mikoto had been challenging Fugaku in private to talk to Itachi about it, but it wasn't going anywhere for the time being.

How he missed walking freely around his village. His thoughts went back to Sakura and how he wanted to share everything of who he was with her.

Shisui wanted to take Sakura's hand in his and walk openly in his village. He wanted to proclaim to whoever would hear that he cared for this woman and that she belonged to him. He wanted to settle down, have a steady relationship, see what that was really like, and hopefully someday give her children that they would raise together.

The only catch was that she hadn't chosen him… She was still trying to figure herself out, who she was, and her own Will of Fire. She had lived through a war, lost many friends, lost her home, and had never felt what it was like to be cherished by a man who loved her and would lay down his life if it meant to see her smile once more.

He wondered if Itachi felt the same way.

It hurt. It hurt so much.

Shisui continued to walk around the edge of the village until he somehow managed to run into Kakashi in the early dawn hours.

The white-haired shinobi waved at him in greetings and Shisui removed his mask and caught up to him and said, "Are you leaving on your mission?" Kakashi nodded and said, "Hey thanks for yesterday, but you really didn't have to leave, we could have all had dinner together." Shisui shook his head and looked down, praying that his bangs hid the exhaustion that must have been evident on his face. He wondered why he took off his mask to begin with.

Kakashi saw the tired look in Shisui's features and said, "You're thinking about her too?" Shisui looked up at him and with a half-smile and a shrug replied, "Is it that obvious? Wait... what do you mean 'too', who else…" Kakashi raised a silver eyebrow and Shisui quickly realized that he was talking about Itachi.

He wasn't upset, or surprised, that Itachi checked up on her. He was guilty of the same thing as well, but having Kakashi know that they were both vying for the same woman was a bit uncomfortable for the usually private pair of Uchiha's.

Kakashi responded, "I'm going to tell you the same thing I told him last night...Get it together or let someone else make her happy. I know that I am new in the picture but, I can see why you guys care so much for her. Most importantly, I don't want her to get hurt. She is a good person and has a caring heart… We don't get too many of those in our line of work. Sakura has been a good friend to me and I can only imagine how our friendship will grow with time."

He paused and gave him a earnest look, "I know how much she misses her friends… I see the tears on her face once she falls asleep. She tries to hide that from everyone so no one will worry, but right now she needs people to be there for her and support her." Shisui nodded and understood what Kakashi was trying to say.

He knew deep in his heart that he was trying to win her heart but he also knew that he would care for her no matter what. Shisui just wanted to see her happy and with the same smile that she first gave him when he opened his eye for the first time since she brought him back to life.

Would he be happy with whatever title she called him? Shisui searched deep in his heart and realized that he would. He would love her the same if she called him her lover, her confidant, even if she called him her… friend.

His heart ached at the thought but decided that he would be fine as long as she was still in his life. She had healed his heart, she had given him a new beginning in life. There was nothing that could break the first bond that they shared together. She was in his life to stay and Kakashi was right, she needed someone there to support her in whatever role she needed him.

Shisui looked towards the gates and then back at Kakashi and said, "Be safe out there, brother." It had been a long time since Shisui had called Kakashi 'brother', that the Copy Ninja's eyes widened a bit and a smile broke out from under his mask.

He replied with a firm arm around Shisui's shoulders and said, "Don't worry about me, I'll be back within the week, you just keep it together and get some rest. You look like crap tonight." Shisui grinned and said, "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say, At least I look better than you…"

Kakashi chuckled and then gave him a two-finger salute as he ran towards the village gates and went on his mission.

As he left, Shisui sighed as the early morning sky began to change colors. He placed his mask back on and decided to pay the training grounds a much-deserved visit.

* * *

A/N: I am sorry for the delay in my updates, a lot has been going on and to be honest, I had a serious case of writer's block. I tried to see where I was going with this story, and my characters, and I found that I wrote myself into a very difficult situation because I love Itachi and Shisui. Please don't think that I abandoned the story, because I haven't, I just haven't had time to write this last week. I appreciate every review, fav, follow, and now my story is in three communities! I love you guys!

I left this chapter short, specifically because I wanted to focus on Shisui and make this one all about what is going on in his mind. I hope you guys liked it.

Little Spoiler: If you want to know, each chapter title is from a song that was my inspiration for each chapter. If you want to listen to Shinedown's 'Call Me' that is the song that I had in mind when I wrote this one to get into Shisui's head.


	29. Chapter 29 Break In

Itachi stood silently along the edge of the tree line looking at his best friend. Shisui was so fast and looked like a blur with each pass that he made in front of the targets. There was a sense of frustration with each move that he made and only Itachi could discern it from how Shisui usually moved in their trainings. He wondered what was bothering him so much but decided to just sit and watch until Shisui approached him.

Itachi didn't have to wait long before Shisui flashed right before his eyes and stopped about an arm's length away from him. The older Uchiha wiped his brow with the edge of his sleeve and looked at his friend and said, "What brings you out here Itachi? I thought you were meeting with the Hokage again this morning."

Itachi nodded and replied, "Yes, but I had a slight recon mission early this morning and just finished about an hour ago. It's been awhile since we sparred together and I went out looking for you at the Nara estate. Since I didn't sense you there, I thought that if you were going to train you would do it the farthest from the village as possible. Mind if I join you?"

A grin spread on Shisui's face and said, "Bring it kid..." He disappeared in a flash and Itachi smiled back as he said, "This is going to be fun…"

The two sparred for quite some time and for the two best friends, it helped strengthen their bond once more. Since they had returned to the village, they hadn't been able to train like this in quite some time and they enjoyed every minute of it.

That is, until a coughing fit left Itachi open to an attack and Shisui had to stop right before he crashed into him.

"Itachi! Are you alright?! Talk to me!" Shisui looked down at his friend in a panic and saw that it was getting hard for Itachi to catch his breath. He put Itachi's arm over his shoulder and supported most of his weight as he teleported to the only place that he knew that Itachi would be taken care of.

Shisui landed on the tree limb and opened the window to Kakashi's bedroom. Itachi had begun wheezing by the time that he got there and Sakura awoke to the sounds of Shisui's frantic voice.

"Sakura! Sakura, he needs your help!" Shisui sat Itachi down on the floor next to the window and Sakura scrambled out of the bed, almost half tangled on the bed sheets but her hands already glowing a soft green color.

She saw how Itachi leaned over to try to breathe and the shallow breaths he was taking. She grabbed a kunai that was on the nightstand and ripped open Itachi's shirt to bare his chest.

Shisui stood there watching her. She was in full medic mode and was assessing everything about Itachi's state. He felt helpless and could only sit back and watch her take care of his best friend in the entire world.

She looked at Itachi and tenderly said, "Hey Itachi… Look at me…" He did as he was told and saw the loving, caring look that she gave him. Her eyes spoke to him and helped him control his racing thoughts about what was happening to him. "Breathe in and out… slowly… slowly… hear my voice and relax…" He nodded at her and tried to slow his breathing.

Sakura's chakra spread through his lungs and she whispered to him, "I'm here… right here… I'm not going anywhere."

Itachi continued to lean forward trying to catch his breath. She leaned into him and their foreheads touched as she helped his lungs expand and help his cells better exchange oxygen. The wheezing subsided and his sides hurt as his lungs expanded to their full potential once more.

Sakura saw him wince with each breath and she ran her hands down his chest to his side to relieve the pain. When she finished, she slid her hands back up to his face. One of them gently caressed his jawline and the other softly stroked the nape of his neck. Itachi succumbed to her ministrations and embraced her as he whispered, "Thank you… my Sakura…" She whispered back, "It's ok… Itachi… I won't let anything happen to you."

Itachi tried to reply to her but Sakura shushed him as she continued to brush his long strands of hair through her fingers and she placed a tender kiss on his temple as she said, "Shhh… I swear that I will not let this take you from me… you are too important to me…"

He looked up at her and breathed out, "My life... is yours..." The two gazed at each other and seemed to have forgotten that there was someone else in the room. She leaned a bit closer to Itachi and he parted his lips ever so slightly. Her eyes went down towards his lips and she unconsciously licked her bottom lip.

The scene before him was too intimate for Shisui to handle, and he soon began to realize that the bond that Sakura and Itachi had, was stronger than what he had thought. He cleared his throat softly and that didn't seem to get any response from them. He looked around the room and then back at them and for some reason it didn't hurt as much as he had thought it would…

His best friend was falling in love with the only person that he could imagine was worthy of him. Shisui needed to be ok with this, he needed to prepare his heart for when they finally realized it themselves. Shisui loved both Itachi and Sakura enough to let go and let them be happy.

He tried to find a way to leave the room unnoticed but was trapped behind the bed and the only window that could be his exit. He whispered, "Um… Ok you two… see ya later…" Shisui looked away from the couple and quickly did some hand signs and disappeared from the room.

Sakura was the first to realize that Shisui left them and she looked back to where he had been standing. She looked back at Itachi and blushed at the thought of how close they had been, and then she quickly covered her face and groaned and said, "I can't believe we almost… and in front of Shisui!"

Itachi raised an eyebrow and whispered, "Sakura… What did we almost do?" He placed his hands over hers and tried to lower them to see her sparkling eyes and the deep blush that graced her cheeks.

She opened her mouth and said, "I… I mean… we…" He finished her thought by placing a soft kiss on her lips.

She was completely shocked by the sudden contact. He stayed still and prayed that she would return his affections.

He knew that this was a reckless move on his part, maybe it had been the lack of oxygen that made him make such a bold move. She could easily reject him, push him away… but deep in his heart he knew that he needed to do this. She left him defenseless with each smile that she gave him.

The seconds that passed seemed like an eternity for him, but he was relieved when she timidly kissed him back. She found her courage and leaned in and her fingertips skimmed the area right above his heart.

Itachi thanked whoever answered his prayer and gently cupped her face with his hands and kissed her once more. When he slowly moved away he noticed how her lip trembled slightly and she breathlessly whispered, "More..."

He complied with her wish and kissed her again but this time kept a firm hold on the back of her head as his other hand gently slid down to the middle of her back. She felt the steady beating of his heart underneath her palm.

Sakura gently caressed his chest and Itachi pulled back to see her face. She looked deep into his eyes and said, "Itachi… What are we…" He leaned in and said, "Like you said… I want so much more… I want to be there for you… I want you to be there for me… I want a real relationship with you." He took her hands in his and said, "Is this what you want us to be?"

She looked out the window and said, "Yes... bu-" He saw her hesitation and said, "but you want to talk to Shisui first." She gave him a soft smile and nodded and then spoke up, "He means so much to me, and to you as well. He deserves to know… But before we do any of that, you are going with me to the hospital to figure out what happened to you and why you began coughing like that."

He nodded and said, "I promise you we will talk with Shisui and I will follow you to the hospital as soon as you get ready."

She looked down at her night gown and then ran her fingers through her hair trying to tame her wild locks. He chuckled and tried to smooth out a section that was sticking out like his little brother's hair. When he saw that it was not helping he just grinned and kissed her head as he wrapped her in his arms and said, "Sakura… you make me so happy."

She sighed into his chest and whispered, "Itachi… I've never had any of this… I don't know what to do… or what…" He silenced her by placing a finger on her lips as he said, "Just be yourself… let me show you how important you are to me… keep being the strong, caring, compassionate woman that I see before me and you will always make me happy."

Itachi looked at her honest eyes and decided to tell her something that he hadn't even told his family yet.

"Sakura, I need to tell you something that is classified as of right now, but I believe that you need to know so you know what you are getting yourself into…" She gave a slight nod, to try to hide the slight worry that his words gave her.

"Umm… I really don't know how else to tell you this… I haven't even told my own mother, but… I have been chosen as the next Hokage…" Her eyes widened at the news and she quickly hugged him as she whispered, "I am so happy to hear this… I know that you will make an excellent leader. Thank you so much for trusting me with this information."

He grinned at her infectious enthusiasm, but then seriously said, "I want to tell you this now so that you know that as much as I would want a very normal relationship with you, I will constantly be a target, there will always be ANBU around, I will always have my responsibilities to the village… If Shisui is a better op-"

It was her turn to cut in and said, "I know what the job entails, Tsunade had the same issues with me as her apprentice. I can take care of myself, and I know that if need be, I could protect you as well…" She grinned and he knew that she was dead serious, she continued, "I know what it means to put the village first, and like you said, we will be there for each other."

He looked at her beguiling eyes and whispered, "Can I…" His thumb traced her bottom lip asking for permission. She answered by closing her eyes and waited for his lips to touch hers.

Itachi looked at the woman before him and wondered what he ever did to earn her trust as he kissed her with a quiet passion as he transmitted his feelings to her.

When he reluctantly moved away to take in a breath she sighed and put her head on his chest as she had done time and time again and whispered, "I won't leave you…" He placed his chin atop of her head and remembered the feelings of abandonment that the older version of his younger brother left in this woman in her time and said, "Neither will I… I swear it."

He said, "If we are going to the hospital we should get going…" She gave him a small smile and said, "Ok, let me get ready. I will have to run some more tests on you at the hospital and get a better history."

After she changed they got ready to go to the hospital. Shisui looked at the pair as they left Kakashi's house and while Sakura turned to lock the door, Itachi had sensed his presence and looked in his direction with remorse in his eyes. Shisui shook his head with a sad smile on his face and mouthed out the words that he knew that Itachi would be able to see, "Take care of her, brother."

With that, Shisui disappeared and Itachi promised he would cherish her like no other. Sakura turned in the direction that Itachi was just looking at and then at him and said, "Is everything ok?" He gave her a soft smile and nodded as he took her hand in his and kissed the tips of her fingers and said, "Yes, everything is ok."

* * *

Sakura had been working on Itachi for the last hour and when she finally moved her hands away from his chest she looked at him and said, "I think we should remove the cluster of tissue that is surrounding the cells. If not, there will always be the risk of them mutating and spreading from the stasis that I put them in. I can do it, but you must understand the risks of doing something like this… It's a serious surgery…"

Itachi looked at her and said, "I trust you… I want you to do this." She took his hands and said, "I won't let anything happen to you." He knew that she would move heaven or hell to keep her promises and his heart skipped a beat at the thought that he was lucky enough to receive her love.

Itachi said, "When do you think you can do the surgery?" She said, "Tomorrow if you let me get everything ready and prep tonight. Will that give you enough notice to tell the Hokage and your family?"

He nodded and kissed her forehead quickly and said, "I'll be going then, I will come back for you later to walk you home." He smiled at the thought of doing something so normal and at the same time so exciting as walking his beloved home from work.

She blushed at the same thought going through her head and said, "I can't wait…"

* * *

Before Itachi went to see the Hokage he went looking for Shisui. He needed to talk to him and see how he was doing. He spread his senses and finally picked up on a faint trace of chakra just outside the village gates.

Itachi silently landed a few feet away from Shisui and saw his best friend sitting on a branch overlooking the village. Shisui looked up at his best friend and then scooted over so that Itachi could sit.

Itachi saw his invitation and silently sat down and looked at the village before him. Shisui sighed and said, "Itachi… Brother… don't think that I am mad at you… I… I mean, Sakura is important to me, but… no one could come between the bond that we share. You were there for me when I was all alone… We share the same dream of bringing peace to our village and to the ninja world." Itachi looked at the sincere face of his best friend and said, "And you will always be there as my right-hand man… Shisui, I can't become Hokage without you… We will do this together and we will achieve our dreams."

Shisui put his arm over Itachi's shoulder and said, "All right… but if I see you walking down a road that I would never want you to go down, I will not hesitate to kick your ass myself." Itachi smirked and said, "I wouldn't expect anything less."

Shisui asked, "So are you breathing better?" Itachi took a deep breath in as if to show him that he was no longer in pain, but then said, "Yeah, but Sakura said that she needs to remove the cells and surrounding tissue from my lungs so that they don't mutate or expand from where they are right now."

Shisui looked worried and said, "Have you told the Hokage about this… Security will be tight and we need to make sure that Danzo doesn't find out about any of this."

Itachi said, "Well that was my recon mission this morning… It seems that so far, he doesn't know about my approval for the position. That is why I sent Kakashi as my personal envoy to give notice to the other allied leaders of the hidden villages that would need to know. I have also been working with Nara-san to find a way to free the children that are now under ROOT's control. We found out where their training facility is and were expecting to ambush and free those kids next week… This surgery is going to take time that I didn't plan for, but Sakura said that the recovery should be quick if she does the surgery now that I am not a hacking mess."

Shisui said, "What do you need me to do?" Itachi looked at him and said, "I can only trust you to run security at the hospital, no one except the people that need to know should be there. I am only going to tell my mother about it… but if anything should happen… take care of Sasuke for me."

Shisui smacked the back of Itachi's head playfully and said, "As if Sakura would ever let anything wrong happen…" He chuckled a bit but then looked at Itachi and with a serious tone said, "But if the unthinkable should happen, I will make sure that he is ok. You have my word."

* * *

The following morning Sakura had been at the hospital in the early morning hours. Itachi was scheduled to arrive in a few minutes and Sakura was prepping in the office. She heard a soft knock at the door and she opened it up to a very nervous Shisui Uchiha.

He mumbled, "Umm… can I talk to you…" She stepped back and let him in. He walked in and looked around and then finally up at her. He didn't know what to say, he wasn't sure why he was here… Shisui wondered if this was a mistake, maybe taking a kunai to his heart would have been easier. He suddenly felt her arms around him and she whispered, "I'm sorry Shisui…" She left him speechless, here he was coming to say that he was ok with her and Itachi and she surprised him by apologizing to him.

He gently wrapped his arms around her and said, "Blossom… be happy… I'll be ok, just smile and make him happy." She looked up at him and he saw the moisture gather in her eyes. He pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear and said, "I know that he will make you happy…" He grinned and tried to insert some humor in his words by saying, "and if he doesn't I'll kick his ass, no- scratch that, I will hold him down while you kick his ass yourself."

She grinned and softly laughed. Shisui always had the knack of putting her at ease.

He expertly extricated himself from her arms before he regretted his decision to let her go and said, "So, are you ready for Itachi's surgery?" She took some of the instruments from the table and said, "Yes, I just need to go down to the operating room and wait for Itachi to get here. He said that he was going to only bring his mother."

Shisui nodded, he knew this. He had made sure that the whole wing of the hospital was secure. He held out the door and said, "So, shall we get going?" They walked out towards the operating room and saw Itachi walking up with his mother.

Shisui took his ANBU mask off and leaned in to give Mikoto a kiss on the cheek as he said, "It's good to see you Aunt Mikoto." She gave him a gracious smile and embraced him and said, "It's good to see that you are safe my boy. When this is all over you will let me know where you are staying and I can visit you more often." He grinned and said, "Anything you say Aunt Mikoto."

The Uchiha Matriarch looked at the young woman and said, "Sakura-san, we meet again." Sakura saw the graceful bow as the ebony locks of the woman before her covered her face. She returned the greeting with a deep bow as she said, "I will do my best to make sure that your son is healed."

She felt Mikoto's gentle hand on her chin as she beckoned her to rise. The woman gave Sakura a gentle motherly smile and said, "I place my son's life in your capable hands." Sakura's eyes widened and Mikoto realized what her son must have seen in this young woman to completely enrapture his heart.

Mikoto bowed her head once more and said, "I won't take any more of your time, I am sure you have a lot of things to prepare." Sakura bowed her head.

Itachi turned to his mother and she placed a hand on his cheek and said, "I love you my son, I will see you later."

With those words Mikoto looked at Shisui and he extended his arm out to her. She took it and said, "Shisui, take me to the area where I can wait for my son to come out of surgery."

Sakura called out to them and said, "Shisui, if you want… you can take her to my office. It's more private and she won't have to wait on those uncomfortable chairs in the lobby."

Mikoto thanked her and looked at Shisui and said, "Lead the way…"

Itachi and Sakura went towards the operating room and Shisui led Mikoto to the office. When he opened the door for her, she immediately looked at the bouquet that sat on the desk and instinctively knew that her son had given this young woman such a meaningful gift.

Shisui bowed his head and said, "Aunt Mikoto, I need to get back on security, but I'll be back to get you as soon as they are done." She nodded and took a seat in the nearby sofa.

A few hours later Shisui knocked on the door and gently opened it and said, "He is in recovery… Would you like to go see him?"

Mikoto stood up and walked out of the office and followed Shisui to a secluded area that was heavely guarded by ANBU and several seals on the walls and doors. She looked at Shisui as if asking why her son needed this much security but he only smiled and shook his head and said, "Would I ever place him in any danger, Aunt Mikoto?" She gently shook her head and put her hand over his arm and said, "Thank you Shisui, you are like a son to me and having you look after him means a lot."

They quietly opened the door and saw that Sakura was caressing Itachi's hair and he had one of her hands entwined in his as he brought her fingers up to his lips to give them a soft kiss.

Shisui looked away towards the wall and Mikoto cleared her throat announcing her arrival. Sakura stood up and offered her the seat next to Itachi's bed and said, "Uchiha-san, everything went well. Itachi should be out of here tomorrow. I just need to make sure that the there is no internal bleeding and that the lung tissue is stable after healing."

Mikoto approached her son and looked at Sakura and bowed her head in respect as she said, "Thank you my child for healing my precious boy."

Itachi groaned and Sakura and Mikoto immediately turned to him with concern in their eyes. Itachi said, "Mother, do you really have to say things like that?" They saw the light blush on his cheeks and Shisui couldn't help but snicker at the thought of Itachi being embarrassed in front of Sakura.

The small group chuckled at the look on Itachi's face and the sounds of Shisui trying to hide his laughter.

Mikoto thanked the gods for keeping her son safe and decided that she would visit the shrine to give them an offering. She would also thank them for sending an angel to watch over him and be his companion.

* * *

A/N: I just want to say thank you to my dear reviewers that made me feel better after a certain comment, that I will not even mention, was left as a review last chapter. I just hope that that person can find it in themselves to stop spewing hate like that. It didn't bother me none, but I know that there are some people that are triggered by those words. If the anonymity of the internet makes you feel bold enough to say things like that, I pity you that you need a screen to protect your fragile ego.


	30. Chapter 30 Coming Home

It had been almost a week since Itachi's surgery. During that time, she was given the keys to the new apartment that she just bought. It was a small, one bedroom apartment, but she loved that it was close to the hospital, the park, and nearby Kakashi's house. She gripped the keys in her hand and was taking the day off from the hospital to go and buy some furniture and other essentials.

Itachi looked at her and said, "Would you mind if I help you out today?" She blushed and said, "Please, if you have the time…" He winked at her and said, "For you, I would make all the time in the world…" He extended his arm out to her and she took it as they set off to the store to begin her purchases.

They walked through a furniture store and she picked out some pieces and signed for them to be delivered later that afternoon. Their next store was for linens and other household items. He patiently waited as she picked out what she needed. He saw the small joy in her face as she chose things that were very well suited to her taste and was able to gather what her interests were.

The couch that she chose was big enough for company but the cushions were soft enough to sleep in and relax. The kitchen items were top grade because of her love of cooking. Her bed was a simple traditional futon, but the covers were made of high quality linen. The reason why she picked a futon was that since her room was small she could put it up and make room for whatever she needed, whether it was to work out, meditate, or treat potential patients. She bought a simple dresser for her clothes and then bought some rich fluffy towels for her bathroom.

Itachi mused around the store, earning some stares from the other customers, but he didn't seem to mind. He walked around with her at his arm and carried whatever she decided to purchase with a satisfied smile on his face. Such a normal task of buying household items was comforting to him after a day of meetings and planning his upcoming ceremony. Itachi followed her halfway around the village getting what she needed and even managed to buy her an item or two himself without too much fuss from the pinkette.

By lunchtime they had bought or ordered all of the items and would return to the apartment to clean up and be ready for when the deliveries would begin. When they arrived at her neighborhood, he was surprised to see his mother at the edge of the park waiting for them.

Sakura saw Itachi's mother and looked up questioningly at him. He gave her a slight shrug and took her hand as they made their way to where she was.

The pair walked closer and Itachi greeted his mother, "Hello Mother…" She smiled at him and Sakura bowed her head and said, "Uchiha-san, I hope you are well." The Uchiha Matriarch smiled at the young woman and said, "My dear, I am fine. I wanted to do this earlier but didn't have the chance." She took the basket in her hands and a large bag that she carried and handed it to her son. She bowed her head and said, "Just a way to say thanks for everything that you did for me and for my sons." Sakura was about to reply, but Mikoto was already turning around and walking back to the Uchiha district. Sakura bowed at her retreating figure and said, "Thank you Uchiha-san." The pair didn't see the smile in the older woman's lips as she walked back home.

Itachi looked at the basket and the bag in his hands and then at Sakura and said, "Shall we get back to your apartment?" She nodded and they walked back wondering what was in the basket.

Sakura opened the door and they walked into a very empty apartment. She had swept and mopped the floors that morning in preparation of the move in. Sakura opened the windows to let some fresh air in as Itachi set the basket on the kitchen counter and placed the bag on the floor next to her room.

Sakura stood next to him and opened the basket and was surprised to see that it was a packed lunch to one side and then several wrapped packages on the other side. She took out the food and placed each container on the counter. Itachi saw that his mother had gone all out and had prepared them a very sizable meal for them. There were many of his favorite side dishes and some dishes that he only saw his mother cook on special occasions. Sakura was amazed by the delicate aromas that made her apartment smell like a real home.

She moved the basket over and took out the chopsticks and bowls that were packed. She handed one to Itachi and said, "Let's dig in, your mom worked really hard to make these delicious foods." He waited to see what she would chose first and was surprised that she picked his favorite and took a bite. Her face changed from surprise to a look of bliss as she chewed and closed her eyes as she savored the richness of the flavor. He smiled and said, "That is one of my favorite dishes that she makes. I'm glad that you like it as well."

She blushed and then said, "Your mother is an exceptional cook." He grinned feeling proud of his mother but said, "Yeah, but in my opinion, you are right up there with her." She smiled at the compliment and continued to eat. Each bite of something new was like she was getting to know Itachi a bit better. He explained each dish and what it meant to him. She noted that his mother spoiled her son a bit too much but it was all a mother could do to make her children happy after a hard day of training.

They finished the meal and Sakura took all of the dishes to the sink to wash and dry. Itachi took a drying towel and helped her clean up and stack up the containers to one side. She was about to go and check what the other packages in the basket were when the there was a knock on the door.

Itachi went to answer and saw that it was the delivery team with her purchases. The first one was the furniture and with the help of the delivery men, they were able to finish within a few minutes. The next deliveries were all the other items that she bought. She unpacked the boxes filled with pots and pans, dishes and bowls.

Itachi helped put up her things in the bathroom and couldn't resist smelling the type of shampoo that she chose. He flicked open the top of the shampoo bottle and brought it up to his nose. It was a soft scent of lavender and he decided that this was his new favorite scent.

She went to the bathroom to see what was taking Itachi so long, but stopped at the door when she noticed that he was smelling the bottle of shampoo that she had picked out. Seeing him, a very powerful shinobi that was feared by many, doing such a cute thing made her smile.

She decided to go back to the kitchen and finish putting all of the things away. Itachi joined her when he was finished setting up her dresser and the futon in the bedroom.

He went to the basket that his mother had given him and took out the packages that were left. Sakura came up next to him and started to open some of them. In one package, there was a beautiful tea set, in another, tins of tea from various regions. Sakura could tell that some of the teas were medicinal and very expensive by the quality of the leaves. She was unsure on what to say and looked at Itachi for some sort of guidance. He could only shrug and say, "I have no control over what my mother gives you…"

Sakura knew that it would be extremely rude of her not to appreciate her gifts and resigned herself and accepted them with as much gratitude as she could. Itachi asked her to see what the other bag had and she went to her bedroom door and picked up the bag and brought it to her new living room.

Itachi helped her take out the package from the bag and saw a familiar silk covering around the bulky package. She opened the cloth wrapping and noticed a very beautiful kimono that was a deep crimson red with white embroidery in the shape of plum blossoms around the sleeves and collar. The matching obi was the purest white with a dark blue edge with silver stitching. She stood there feeling the soft fabric and said, "This is gorgeous…" Itachi recognized the piece of clothing but said nothing and just watched Sakura as she took it between her fingers and gently touched the fine silk.

Sakura brought it up to her chest and Itachi could just picture her in one of his mother's most prized kimonos from her youth. He had only seen his mother in this kimono in an old picture of when she was dating his father. It must have meant so much to her to keep it in such a pristine condition.

Sakura was speechless as she looked at the fine details and workmanship of the item and looked at Itachi and saw a look on his face that she had never seen before. His eyes were intense and he whispered, "Please put it on…" She was so taken aback by his sudden request that she could only nod and comply.

It was like he was in a trance as he watched her go into her room to get changed. The piece would take several layers to put on and he was sure that she would need help tying the obi, but he didn't know that Sakura's mother often dressed her in kimonos for formal family functions.

Sakura was able to put on the whole ensemble and only came out to ask Itachi to help her tie the obi in the back. The knot needed to be done with a fair amount of strength and another set of hands.

Itachi walked into her bedroom as if he was entering a sacred haven. He saw her back facing him as she struggled to hold the obi in place, just giving him enough leeway to make the knot and bow in the back. Itachi was a man of many talents but it seemed that obi tying was not one of them.

He tried to remember how his mother's obi would look and tried desperately to emulate it. He did a decent job, but knew that he was not giving the piece justice with its lopsided bow. Sakura turned her head and tried to fix as much as she could and tried to guide him in how it should be done.

Once, it was tied to her liking did she turn around and the full affect hit Itachi like a ton of bricks. Her eyes sparkled and the red emphasized her coloring just to the perfect shade of pink. She looked at him through her pink lashes and noticed that his Sharingan was active as he gazed at her. The intense look that he gave her was emphasized when he bit his bottom lip and looked at her up and down memorizing every last detail.

He whispered, "You are radiant Sakura… This piece looks like it was made just for you…" He couldn't ignore that his clan's colors fit her perfectly well. He took a step towards her and said, "Please turn around…" She took his offered hand and slowly turned giving him full view of the garment from all angles.

Itachi had placed his hand on her waist and brought her hand up to his chest as he held her gaze.

Itachi had some doubts about being so forward but he felt that it was now or never. He knew that he needed to make his move and make it perfectly clear of what he wanted for both of them. He whispered, "Sakura… I see my future in your eyes."

She stared deep into those onyx pools that she would willingly drown in as he moved a strand of hair out of her face and leaned in a bit further. He gave her enough time to pull away if she wanted to and when she looked down at his lips and then back at his eyes, he took it as a sign to proceed.

Her recent dreams were plagued with thoughts of the man in front of her. She closed her eyes and waited for his lips to touch hers. Itachi felt his heartbeat accelerate as he saw the vulnerable and very enticing look on her face.

Time stood still as he leaned in those last couple of millimeters and captured her in a sweet and tender kiss. He wanted to convey the feelings he had for her.

The kiss was slow… testing… trying to make sense of how the other would react now that they were in an official relationship. He was patient and gently placed his hand on the small of her back as if to bring her closer. Her hands were still on his chest but one hand seemed to find purchase on his shirt and slightly tugged him closer as her other hand moved towards the silk like strands of hair that framed his face.

She kissed him back with that same tenderness but when they separated to take a breath, their eyes met again, and she breathed out, "You… you are in mine." it was like a spell had been broken and they were two people in need of the other. She crushed her lips into his with fervor and he tried to hold back but was losing this battle of wills. He relented and kissed her back with as much passion.

Her fingers ran from his bangs to the side of his head and down towards the low ponytail that held his hair together. She caressed the back of his neck and he groaned softly at her delicate touch. It was beginning to be too much for his self-control and as he debated if he should continue, she surprised him by biting his bottom lip.

He almost growled at the pleasure he felt so he took it a step further and leaned further into her causing her to gasp at the sudden contact of his body flush against hers. He took advantage of her surprise and ran his tongue over her lip. He slowly sucked on the plump flesh and released her to take a breath as he all but attacked her jaw line. His slow kisses up to her ear were torture to the young woman.

She raked her fingernails along his scalp and down his long hair, removing the binding that held them together. She loved the feel of his soft hair and when he whispered her name in a seductive voice, she lightly tugged at his hair causing a moan to escape his lips. It was something deeply intimate and Sakura did not know how to stop herself.

Her back arched into him when he ran his tongue over a spot on her neck. He was delighted to have found this sensitive portion of her skin because not only did he repeat his action, he followed it by kissing her and lightly grazing his teeth over it.

Her eyes rolled back a bit at the sensations that he was causing all over her. She gasped his name out as she tried to catch her breath and he slowed down the tempo of his kisses.

As much as he wanted to continue he knew that he wanted so much more. His slow languid kisses up her jawline and towards her mouth were now sweeter, tender, softer.

By the time that he got back to her lips, she was gently caressing and running her fingers through his hair. He loved the sound of her breath gently catching with each kiss he gave her and if he could continue further he would… but, he knew better than to rush this moment.

He held her in his arms and said, "I care so much for you, my Sakura… you have made me the happiest man alive." She gently laid her head on his chest and was soothed by the steady beating of his heart. She caressed the strands of hair that fell over his shoulder and said, "I can't believe that this is real… That you… me… we would be together like this." He looked down at her and she looked up at him.

He whispered, "I want to be like this for as long as you will have me… We still have a long way to go and I want that journey to be with you…" She smiled gently at him and said, "I will walk beside you… Thank you for trusting in me…" He ran a long finger down her cheek and gently shook his head as he said, "No, you taught me to trust in others, not just in myself, so I should be thanking you." He placed a kiss on her forehead and she laid her head back on his chest as he held her.

He loved the soft feel of her body next to his and didn't think when a soft cough erupted from his lips. He tried to suppress it as best he could but the sudden alarm in Sakura's face as she pulled back and said, "Itachi, are you ill?" made him pause. He shook his head and said, "I'm fine I suddenly got this slight cough a few days ago. I don't feel ill at all."

She said, "Do you mind untying the obi, I need to get into more comfortable clothes to examine you… I need to make sure that your lungs are fine since I last treated you."

Itachi understood what she was saying and nodded. She turned and his hands went to the bow behind her. His mind was trying not to think about how he would have loved to take this off in other circumstances… after all he was just a man and she was his weakness. He deftly undid the knot and she looked back at him as she went into her bedroom to change.

Once she was in her room and had closed the door, he let a breath that he had been holding and ran his hands on his face as he made his way towards the couch. She was so tempting but he swore to himself that he would follow her lead and take it as slow as she needed. He wanted to let her know how important she was to him and how serious he was.

He cooled his thoughts and waited for her to return. When she did, she was wearing some black tights and his old shirt that he had given her back at the hideout. It took every bit of his inner will not to pin her down to the couch. Seeing her back in his shirt brought out a possessiveness in him and he was very glad that she favored his clothing.

She sat next to him and said, "Itachi, tell me when did the cough start." He replied, "It was two days ago while I was in a meeting at the Hokage Tower." She asked, "Did it cause you pain?" He shook his head no. She thought about that for a minute, then asked, "Have you coughed up any blood?" He shook his head once more.

She sighed and said, "Thank goodness… Ok Let me check you out…" He raised an eyebrow and said, "I'm all yours…."

She blushed and said, "You know what I meant…" He leaned in and stole a quick kiss as he said, "I did, and I hope you know what I meant as well." His grin made her heart skip a beat as she stammered, "uhh… umm… Itachi… I need for you to take your shirt off." His grin widened and he did as he was told.

She looked at his perfectly toned chest and took a deep breath as she looked back at him. He had the decency to wipe the grin off his face and just smile at her which allow her to proceed.

She had never been flustered when examining the very toned and sculpted bodies of other shinobis… but… Itachi was different. He was hers now... She extended her hands out and they gently shook as she hovered over his chest. He placed his hands over hers and brought them into contact with his bare chest as he whispered, "It's ok Sakura… I am yours… don't hesitate, I trust you."

Her chakra glowed with his words and she closed her eyes and concentrated. Her warmth enveloped his chest as she examined his lungs. She was glad that the site where she removed some lung tissue was healed and there were no signs of any infection. She felt better knowing that she was just overreacting to a simple cough and sighed in relief as she looked at him and said, "Itachi, your lungs are fine… but please don't make me worry like that. If you feel ill let me know."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead and said, "I'm sorry my Sakura, I didn't think it was a big deal since it only happened once or twice. I won't make you worry again." She handed him his shirt back and he put it on as she stood up to go put away the kimono that his mother had gifted her.

He walked down the hall and stopped at the door of her bedroom and smiled as she put it away with care. She looked up at him and blushed slightly and said, "Do you think I will ever have an occasion to wear it?" A few thoughts crossed his mind, but he simply replied, "I believe so… We will just have to be patient and wait and see." She put her gift away in the closet and walked out of the room and into Itachi's awaiting arms when she heard a sharp knock on the door along with her name being called out in an alarmed voice.

She ran ahead to the door and opened it to see Shisui's ANBU mask cracked and a large gash open on his side. She pulled him inside and took him straight to the kitchen where she sat him down in a chair and started healing him immediately. He didn't complain much at the pain but winced when she had to reset a broken rib.

Itachi handed him a glass of water as he asked, "What happened?" Shisui shook his head and said, "Kakashi… got some intel a couple hours ago… ow…. that they were moving the kids from ROOT to another location and we didn't have time to find you so, we took two ANBU teams and got the green light from Nara san to intercept them." Both Sakura and Itachi were listening as she continued to heal his side. Shisui continued, "We… we got the kids and dealt with the other operating ROOT members but, one of them managed to send out a hawk and I believe that Danzo will be aware of what is happening… He… He might make a move before we know it."

Itachi had a serious look but said, "Good work Shisui… we will be ready for him… are there any other injuries that you need to report?" Shisui shook his head but said, "We were fine, I was the only one to get hurt… but I think those kids are kinda shell shocked… some of them had no reaction to what was going on… I'm kinda worried about them."

Sakura finished healing his side and then said, "Where did they take them?" Shisui looked at Itachi as if asking permission to disclose confidential information and Itachi replied, "Sakura… Yamanaka san is setting up a treatment facility where the kids affected by ROOT can be healed and rehabilitated from within T & I facilities."

She was about to respond and Itachi said, "They are not going to be tortured or interrogated, I assure you. It's just that ROOT is still a top-secret organization from even within the village that we cannot have intel leaked under no circumstances. They are going to be kept in a separate area and will have all of the medical and psychiatric help that they need." He saw the look of relief on her face, he continued, "It is my wish that they can one day become full members of the village and even attend the academy and live out normal lives."

Shisui then said, "I will be taking command of their care and will make sure that they are ok." She smiled at Shisui and said, "Thank you… If it's not too much once the kids are settled, I would like to go and see them. One of my past teammates came from ROOT and… well, Sai was really out of sorts in the beginning and I would like to help in any way I can." Shisui nodded and said, "Of course Blossom."

Shisui noticed how happy she looked and thought that letting her go might not be as hard if she was happy and still willing to be his friend. He smiled back at her and looked around her new apartment and said, "This place looks better than the first time that we came here to look at it, huh Blossom?"

Sakura pushed him playfully and said, "Well of course it does, we just finished getting all of my furniture and bought everything else today. When we came it was just to look around and it was empty and full of dust." Shisui smiled at her and said, "Well, it suits you well."

Itachi looked at the pair and smiled then said, "Hey, I guess I need to head over to the Hokage Tower and speak with Lord Third." Sakura looked at him and smiled and said, "I'll be ok, do you mind if Shisui stays for dinner tonight?" Itachi said, "It's fine with me, but don't let him pull the 'I'm injured and can't help' routine. Have him help you go and buy some groceries."

Shisui played up the offended act and scoffed at Itachi, "I would never... plus getting to help Blossom cook is better than those stupid meetings you have to go to anyway. Now just go and leave us, we'll be fine on our own."

Sakura wanted to laugh at how they interacted, they both looked like an old bickering married couple and she tried to suppress her amusement from them both. She looked at Itachi and said, "If you see Kakashi, tell him that he has a place at my table if he wants to come for dinner as well." Itachi nodded and when Shisui wasn't looking, winked at her and then blew her a kiss that made her blush before he disappeared out the window.

She took a deep breath and looked at Shisui and said, "Don't worry about groceries, I will just go across the street, you sit here and clean yourself up then please put some water to boil for me while I get back."

Shisui gave her a two-finger salute and said, "Sure thing Blossom" he then asked, "What are you going to make?" She smiled and said, "Katsu Curry, Itachi told me that it's one of your favorites." He grinned and said, "Oh yeah… I'm going to eat good tonight!"

Later that evening when they were all sitting at the table, Itachi on her left, Shisui on her right and Kakashi in front of her, eating and enjoying each other's company she thought about how the little dusty apartment that she had purchased was finally feeling like home.


End file.
